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Copyright }J?_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSn^ 



NEW GAMES 



FOR y ^ ^ 



PARLOR AND LAWN 



With a Few Old Friends 

IN A 

New Dress 



,<:'i- 



By GEO. B. BARTLETT 

V 



\ Uf 2y 1882, 



NEW YORK 
HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE 

1882 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by 

HARPER & BROTHERS, 

In the OtBce of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 

All rights reserved. 



PREFACE. 



On examination of the "New Cxames for 
Parlor and Lawn," the publishers requested 
that a few old favorites should be added. 
Their wise suggestions have been carried out, 
with some changes in the method of playing 
the games, the dramatic scenes being so simply 
arranged that children can easily prepare them 
for home amusement, although some of them 
have already earned large sums at charitable 
entertainments. The author expresses here 
his earnest thanks to the publishers of Har- 
per'^s Young People^ The YoiiWs Companion^ 
and Wide Awake, for their courtesy in ac- 
cording him permission to reprint articles 
which he originally contributed to their col- 
umns. 



CONTENTS. 



FOR PARLOR. 

I , PAGE 

'Adjective Game ... ........ 61 

Alliteration 44 

A Nonsense Charade ." 94 

Artist 63 

Automatic Warblers 106 

Bipeds or Quadrupeds 38 

Blackbirds 78 

boquetaire 69 

Broom-drill 137 

Brownies 145 

Candy Game 186 

Character . 73 

Christmas Pudding 173 

Departed Dreams 136 

Distinction 66 

Drawing Lesson ... 101 

Enigma Game 57 



VI CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Geography Game 14 

Illustrated Poems 89 

King Coplietua and the Beggar-maid ... 93 

The Sculptor Boy . . . 89 

The Three Fishers 91 

Illustration 76 

Improvisatore 20 

Initials 67 

Letter Sequences 45 

Specimen Story 46 

Literati. 34 

Machine Sonnets 60 

Magic Clock 112 

Mary's Lamb 140 

Masquerade Costumes 168 

Mental Index 65 

Mirthful Magic 191 

Blazing Snow-ball 200 

Egg Trick 195 

Electric Trick 198 

Ladies' Delight 196 

Making Money 195 

Mesmeric Trick 192 

Mind-reading 193 

More Money . 196 

New Fifteen Puzzle 192 

Numeration 197 

Satisfaction 191 



CONTENTS. Vll 

PAGK 

Mother Goose Party 154 

Myths l*? 

Natural History Jingles 47 

Observation 31 

Oriental Tableaux 162 

Parallels 2 

Pin-drawings 63 

Predicaments 41 

Proverbs 1 

Proverbs in Action . \ 7 

All is Not Gold that Glitters 13 

A Rolling Stone Gathers no Moss .... 7 

Fine Feathers Make Fine Birds 12 

The Going Foot is aye Getting ... .10 

Pygmalion .84 

Rhyming Games 48 

A Beheaded Rhyme 55 

Constance 51 

In the Library 54 

Ode to May 49 

Whispering Rushes 52 

Round Game 182 

Seen or Unseen 174 

Silver Circulation ' 177 

Spoons 183 

Tip 184 

Throwing Light „ .... 32 

Twenty Questions 74 



YJii CONTENTS. 

PA6K 

Whirlwind 171 

Who Knows that Nose? 172 

AVONDERFUL Christmas-tree 132 



FOR LAWN. 

BOGGIA 208 

Catapult 223 

Cat and Mouse 180 

Fast Runners 216 

Great-grandfather of Croquet 203 

Pendulutm 210 

Personation 178 

Potato Race 212 

Tug of War 220 

V. P. K. Goslings 226 



NEW GAMES 

FOR 

PARLOR AND LAWN. 



MEMORIZING PROVERBS. 

Proverbs form a nucleus for many good 
games, and one of the simplest and best ways 
of using them is to see how many can be 
called up to memory, as each one suggests an- 
other. The players sit in a ring around the 
room, and the first on the right says any prov- 
erb aloud that may occur to him. The next 
instantly follows it up with a second, and thus 
they go on as rapidly as possible, and often 
the incongruity, contrast, or likeness between 
two succeeding ones makes much sport. Each 
player who fails to say a proverb before the 
leader can count ten is thrown out of the 
game, and any one who says one which has 
been mentioned before by another player is 
1 



2 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

obliged to tarn Lis chair so as to sit with his 
back to the company until the game is over, 
which is only when one player is left, all the 
others having missed in turn. It is surprising 
to see how many quaint old-fashioned prov- 
erbs come to light in this merry game, some 
full of wit and wisdom, and others conspic- 
uous for the absence of either quality. The 
most expressive ones come from the Scotch, 
and the most poetic ones from the Spanish 
language, and the mingling of all together in 
a rapid stream of talk is very interesting and 
amusing, and thus material is furnished for 
many other merry games. 



PARALLELS. 

Theke is no better amusement among the 
many in which old proverbs are brought to 
light than the one just introduced into notice 
under the above name, which exercises at the 
same time the inventive and guessing powers. 
Any number can join in this game, which is 
begun by one of the players, who relates some 
real or fancied experience, or tells a story in 



PARALLELS. 3 

wliicli some proverb which he has in mind is 
expressed. The person who guesses the prov- 
erb thus indicated has to tell another story, 
which must continue until it has also been 
guessed. When played by a large company, 
it is well to divide into equal sides arranged 
opposite each other in two lines. In this case 
the first player at the right upper side begins 
to tell the story, which must be guessed only 
on the opposite side. The guesser tells his 
story next, and it must be guessed by some 
one on the right side of the room. The sides 
before beginning to play choose each a time- 
keeper, who decides the duration of each con- 
test, which should be from one hour to half 
an hour, according to the number of players. 
He keeps his watch in his hand and calls out 
" stop " the instant the time has expired, and 
then declares that side to be the winner on 
which was being told the unguessed story at 
that moment. This keeps all players on the 
alert, as each one is eager to guess while he is 
inventing his own story, so that there may be 
no delay if he succeeds. This effort to do 
two things at once is very good for the men- 
tal powers, and often very amusing when the 



4 J^^'^W GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LA WN. 

players become nervous and confused. Tlie 
best stories are those tliat suggest several 
proverbs, wliich may be guessed incorrectly 
at first, thus giving the other side more time. 
To make this game clear to the youngest read- 
ers, who can often play as well as their eld- 
ers, two specimens of simple stories are here 
given : 

"The morning after my last ball the car- 
pet in the parlor was very much soiled with 
dust, so I called the maid to sweep it careful- 
ly. She labored for a long time with the car- 
pet-sweeper to very little purpose, so I told 
her to go for the brush and try her success, 
but the carpet still looked dusty. The maid 
then put on sawdust and tea-leaves, but after 
brushing them up no improvement seemed to 
to follow. I spoke to her somewhat hastily, 
when she replied that the brush was worn out 
and useless." Some guesser here calls out the 
proverb, " A poor workman complains of his 
tools." The story-teller says "Not correct," 
and proceeds. "Just then I looked out of 
the window and saw a peddler's cart slowly 
coming up the hill, and I called to him for a 
new broom, which he soon brought. Taking 



PARALLELS. 5 

it in Dij own hands, in a few moments I was 
delighted to see every trace of dast rapidly 
disappear from my carpet." A player on the 
other side guesses the correct proverb, "A 
new broom sweeps clean," and immediately 
begins another story, as follows : 

" An old farmer had lived very frugally on 
liis little farm for many years, until he had 
acquired a small competence. His old gray 
mare had worked as hard as he, and now, 
grown old in the service, w^as seldom driven 
very fast, but went slowly from door to door 
dragging the milk-cart, which stopped at ev- 
ery house in the morning for the full cans, 
and on the return trip from the station to 
leave them to be refilled. So the old animal 
had grown very dull and lazy from this habit, 
and the old man would sometimes count over 
liis gains from the great leather bag w^iich 
contained the coppers for which he sold his 
milk, and sometimes he would read the new^s- 
paper as he slowly jogged home. One fine 
day, as he left the station to return, a tele- 
gram was put into his hands to tell him the 
startling news that his barn was on fire. Ea- 
ger to save his stock, he plied the whip on 



6 JVEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

liis unfortunate beast, whose hide was so thick 
that it produced very little effect on its speed. 
The farmer continued his blows until the 
whip-lash was worn out, and began with the 
whip-stock, which soon broke also, and the old 
man was in despair, as the horse only jumped 
up and down without increasing her forward 
motion." " More haste the worse speed " is in- 
correctly guessed, and the narrator proceeds: 
" The horse shook her head angrily and leered 
at her master, showing the white of her eyes? 
as if in scorn, and this action reminded the 
farmer that she was very sensitive about the 
head, being afraid of having her bridle and 
halter put on. 'Ah! old Betty,' said he, 'I 
know how to make you go now !' and taking 
a handful of coppers from his bag, he threw 
them with all his might at tlie horse's head. 
Alarmed at this novel attack, old Betty dash- 
ed off with the speed of an unbroken colt, 
and brought the old man home quicker than 
he had ever gone over the road in his life." 
"Money makes the mare go," guesses a 
player on the right. These two examples 
will show the method of playing the game 
of Parallels, which is equally adapted for 



PROVERBS IN ACTION. 



3'Oung and old, for the summer picnic or 
winter fireside. 



PROVERBS m ACTION. 

This beautiful game can be played in im- 
promptu style with pleasure and profit, and is 
also susceptible of careful dramatization, in 
which case it may amuse crowded audiences 
of cultivated people. It is perhaps funnier 
when done in the former manner, and the 
costumes are caught up from the entrj'-, and 
the properties from the kitchen. In this case 
the most eccentric turn can be given to the 
sentiment and pronunciation of the words 
used ; and the alternate scenes may be repre- 
sented in tableau, pantomime, or charade. A 
few specimens of each will be given here, 
from wdiich even the youngest reader can 
gain ideas enough to enable him to choose 
the proverbs and arrange the action for him- 
self. 

A ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS. 

IN TWO SCENES. 

Scene 1. — A cottage interior, represented 
by any room, with wash-tub, churn, spinning- 



8 NEW G Alius FOE PARLOR AND LAWK 

wheel, or any articles of domestic use placed 
around. The old dame sits in a high-backed 
chair, and seems intent on convincing her 
family of tlie importance of keeping busily 
employed at home. Each one of her daugh- 
ters is at work at some domestic labor. Her 
son enters, dressed in a walking costume, 
with a plaid shawl over his arm and a bundle 
in his hand. "Now, my dear boy," says the 
old lady, "I hope you will think better of 
your foolish plan of going out to service, and 
be content to help your father carry on his 
farni, which will be yours some day if you at- 
tend to it well." "But, mother," says the 
boy, "I want to see the world." " The w^orld 
is a poor place, my dear boy, and full of trou- 
ble." "I^ever mind, mother, you will rejoice 
to see me back again, when I have made my 
fortune." "Fortune will come to you, my 
son, if you work hard at home." " I hate 
farm -work, mother, and have made up my 
mind to go. So good-bye, all." The son 
gayly marches off, and the mother follows 
him to the door and looks earnestly after 
him, waves her handkerchief a few times, 
then totters to her chair and cries bitterly. 



PROVERBS IN ACTION. 9 

The girls all ciy in concert, but afterward 
dry their eyes, and continue busily at work 
until the curtain falls. 

Scene 2. — The same room, with much bet- 
ter furniture and adornments. The old lady 
and , her daughters, in evening dress, are en- 
gaged with fancy-work and books, and one 
young lady plays a cheerful tune on the 
piano. The door opens, and a gust of snow 
is blown into the room (by means of a pair 
of bellow^s and a large c[uantity of very small 
scraps of writing-paper), a terrific wind howls 
(by means of blowing into a glass bottle), and 
the son enters, with rags and tatters hanging 
from his clothes. His cheeks are chalked at 
the sides, so he that looks much emaciated ; 
and he holds out his right hand, as if asking 
alms, as he leans heavily on a. rough cane with 
his left. 1^0 one recognizes him at first, un- 
til he says, " Don't you know me, mother ? I 
have come home in destitution." The moth- 
er rushes into his arms, and the girls welcome 
him eagerly. One runs out for provisions, 
another spreads the table, and all try to show 
their welcome and sympathy. He sits at 
table and eats ravenously, and then says, " Oh, 



10 A^i/TF ABIES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

mother, it is a blessed thing to have a home 
to go to ; and I have learned the lesson that 
steady labor is far better than a wandering 
life." 

In contrast may next be acted the old Scotch 
proverb — 

THE GOING FOOT IS AYE GETTING. 

IN TWO SCENES. 

Scene 1. — An old man is bidding a sad 
farewell to his son, who seems all ready to set 
out npon a journey to seek his fortune. The 
room is very poorly furnished, and a table 
and two chairs occupy the centre. The old 
man says, " Good-bye, my son ; my blessing 
attend you on your long and weary way ! I 
w^ould fain have kept my only son to sustain 
my faltering steps; but the rent is so high, 
and the little place so small, that yon would 
only starve with me." "Keep up a brave 
heart, my dear sir. You may be sure I will 
never stop until I have found something to 
help you and make comfortable your declin- 
ing years," replies the boy, as he dashes the 
tears from his eyes and runs out, while the 
old man sinks back in his chair faint and 



PROVEBBiS IN ACTION, H 

worn. An old woman enters, and tries to 
comfort him by saying, "He will be sure to 
come back again before long." The old man 
sobs, " I shall never see my dear boy again," 
and the curtain falls. 

Scene 2. — The same room and people. The 
old man lies on a couch, and looks very pale 
and w^eary. He calls out " Joan !" and the 
old woman totters in, supported by a stick. 
" Is tliere no bread in the house, Joan ?" says 
he. "Alas! no; the very last crumb is gone, 
and we must beg or starve." " We will starve, 
then," says the old man. " Oh, if I had not 
let our dear Willy go wandering off so far, to 
die in a foreign land, we might at least have 
had bread to eat ! Oh, ray boy ! vay boy !" 
"Here I am, father," says Willy, rushing in, 
dressed as a gallant sailor, and tossing on the 
table a heavy bag of clinking gold. "Here 
is enough to keep you in bread — aye, and in 
the richest cake, too — for the rest of your 
days. The ship was wrecked on the Gold 
Coast, and I was taken prisoner, and not 
drowned ; so, in my long wanderings, I pick- 
ed up every day more and more of the pre- 
cious dust, thinking that each grain would 



12 A^EW GAMES FOR PAMLOR AND LAWK 

help you and mother when I reached home, 
if I ever did. So now hurrah for the best 
supper and the biggest fire this old house ever 
knew !" The man rises from his couch and 
seizes the hand of his sou, while the dame, tak- 
ing some money from the bag, rushes off for 
a supply of provisions, when the curtain falls. 

FIXE FEATHERS MAKE FINE BIRDS. 

PANTOMIME, IN ONE SCENE. 

A fop enters and struts about, with eye- 
glasses and cane, seeming too proud to speak 
to common people. A negro girl enters, car- 
rying a basket of clothes on her head, and the 
fop eyes her with disgust as she passes him 
and knocks off his hat accidentally with her 
basket. He is very angry, and shakes his fist 
at her as she goes out of sight. But his man- 
ner suddenly changes as he sees a lady with 
a showy bonnet, thick veil, and elegant cloak, 
and he makes the lowest bow to her as she 
advances. The lady, however, pays him no 
attention, being very much annoyed at his 
rudeness, but passes out of sight rapidly. 
The fop still lingers, sucking the head of his 
cane, and putting on airs, when he again be- 



PR VERBS m A CTION. 1 3 

holds the same costuine approaching. Gain- 
ing courage, the fop sidles up and offers his 
arm to the lady, who accepts it, to liis delight, 
and they walk up and down together. He 
tries in vain to get a view of her face, which 
she keeps averted, but finally relents and lifts 
her veil, when he beholds the same colored 
woman that he met at first, who has put on 
the bonnet and cloak of her mistress, who 
enters also ; and both the women laugh at 
the discomfited fop, who slinks away in dis- 
gust as the curtain falls. 

ALL IS NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERS. 

A pair of country people are taking a walk. 
They pretend to be gazing into sho2>windows 
and to be surprised at the novel sights which 
they see on every side. They walk arm-in- 
arm, and often look tenderly at each other. 
Soon they are met by a Jew peddler, who 
has a tray full of fancy goods. He stops the 
couple and calls their attention to his wares. 
Tliey seem deliglited with the articles which 
he holds up for their inspection one by one. 
They at last fix upon a large bracelet, which 
is made of a band of sheet-iron, covered with 



14: JSTEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

gold paper. They spend much time in dis- 
cussing the price, and the man says, " Is it 
gold ?" " Sure, it certainly's cold," says the 
Jew, rubbing his ear with one hand. " If 
you are sure it is gold," says the bumpkin, 
"I will give you six dollars for it." "Ten 
is the lowest," says the Jew ; and, after much 
chaffering, the bracelet is purchased for six 
dollars and a half, and the man proudly clasps 
it upon the arm of his friend, rejoicing that 
he has outwitted the peddler. They continue 
their walk, and the lady, after constantly look- 
ing at her new bracelet, rubs it with her hand- 
kerchief to brighten it. What is her horror 
to see the gold rub off and the iron slowly 
come to light under the process ! The woman 
cries, and the man sets out, with uplifted 
stick, in eager but fruitless pursuit of the 
deceitful Jew. 



THE GAI^IE OF GEOGRAPHY. 

This play, although instructive, cannot fail 
to be amusing, as the best scholars can hardly 
help making blunders in the excitement and 
hurry of the game. Two leaders are chosen. 



THE GAME OF GEOGRAPHY. 15 

who each select in turn, until all the play- 
ers are taken, and are formed in two lines 
facing each other, a chair for each being 
placed behind him. The leader on one side 
calls cut some letter, and says *' Sea," or men- 
tions some other body of water. The leader 
on the other side immediately names one be- 
ginning with the letter, and each one on his 
side gives another in rapid succession. If 
there is a pause, the leader of side No. 1 counts 
ten rapidly, and calls "J^ext ;" the player who 
stands next answers, and the one who missed 
takes his seat. If a mistake is made by giv- 
ing a wrong name to the piece of water called 
for, as by calling a river b}^ the name of a sea 
or isthmus, or by giving the wrong letter as 
its first one, and it is not corrected by some 
member of the same side before the leader of 
the opposite side calls out " Miss," then all of 
side No. 2 must take their seats, w^hich counts 
two for side No. 1. 

The leader of side No. 2 requests all his 
side to again stand in line, with the exception 
of those who missed, and calls out some piece 
of land, as mountain. State, county, etc., and 
a letter, which the opposite side answer in the 



16 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

same way ; and if every one succeeds in an- 
swering to the call, and each one gives a cor- 
rect reply without mistake, tliey score three 
for their own side. The game is won by the 
side that first scores ten ; and as all who have 
missed must keep their seats until the end of 
the play, they have abundant opportunity for 
laughing at the mistakes which are made by 
their friends. If it should happen that the 
leader of one side has no one to call upon to 
stand in line, he is obliged to answer alone ; 
and if he also fails, the victory belongs to the 
other, even if they have not scored ten. 

Another game of geography is played by 
each person taking pencil and paper, and in 
a given time — say five minutes — writing as 
many geographical names, beginning with a 
certain letter, as he can reymember. When 
" Time " is called a player reads his list, and 
any name that he has, and the others have 
not, counts as many for him as there are play- 
ers besides himself. Each then reads his list 
in turn, and the one who scores the greatest 
number when all have read wins the game. 
If during the reading any name is challenged, 
and the writer is unable to describe it, if it be 



MYTHS. 17 

a river, sea, bay, etc., or locate it, if it is a citj, 
town, or cape, every other player counts one. 



MYTHS. 

This new game combines ancient lore with 
modern repartee, recalls mythological and his- 
toric items, and teaches them to the young 
student in a manner which cannot fail to fix 
them in the mind. It may be played by any 
number of persons in the quiet of the home, 
or at the merry picnic. It is begun by any 
player, who asks of any member erf the party 
a question in some way relating to some event 
in the past which may occur to his mind. 
The person addressed must try to refer in his 
reply to the same event ; but, if such answer 
does not readily occur to his mind, any other 
player may answer. The one who started the 
question must then let the one who answered 
it know whether his reply was correct or not ; 
but he can do this in such a way, by his next 
remark, that the others are not also informed. 
But if the answer was incorrect, the first play- 
er is obliged to guess what event the second 
2 



18 ^:ew games foe parlor and lawn. 

Lad in his mind, and to name it. If he does 
this the company, of course, know that the 
original item has not been guessed, and all go 
on with their replies, each being answered by 
the originator as to the idea he had in mind. 
If he fails to guess the event named by any 
of the players, he is obliged to tell the one he 
had chosen to the company ; and the event 
proposed by this player becomes the myth, 
and all work upon it until it has been revealed 
in its turn. If the original event has been 
correctly guessed by two of the players, it 
must be told to all. To render the manner 
of playing it clear, a few examples are given : 
A asks B, " Will you have an apple ?" B re- 
plies, ''I^o; the cruel queen gave it." A. 
" I do not refer to the story of Snow White. 
C, will you have one ?" C. " Ko, thank you ; 
not from Paris." A. " I do not refer to the 
Judgment of Paris. Kow, D, will you have 
a nice bright apple?" D. "IS^ot while I am 
running a race." A. " Yes, D, you would 
have won if you had not stopped by the way. 
Perhaps E will try one of my apples." E. 
" I would not trust your aim." A replies, 
" Now, D, don't tell me you will not try an 



MYTHS. 19 

apple. I know F likes tlieni." F. "I like 
golden ones." A, tlien finding that two Lave 
guessed right, informs the company that he 
had chosen one of the apples of Atalanta. D, 
having been the first to gness right, begins 
in his turn : " Gr, are you partial to a pipe ?" 
G. "I do not like to have a bucket of water 
poured over my head when smoking." D. 
"I do not mean Sir Walter Raleigh. H, will 
you try one?" "]N"ot of malmsey, thank 
you," says H. D. "I do not refer to the 
fate of Clarence. I should like to know if 
any of you would enjoy a pipe." I. "]^ot 
round the council fire." D. " ^o sav^ages for 
me." «/! " I call for one, with my fiddlers 
three." D. '^Not old King Cole." K then 
says, "I love to make all the children follow 
me." D tries in vain to guess this, and finally 
gives it up, when K requests him to tell the 
company what he had in mind, which was 
the pipe of Pan ; and K goes on to ask about 
his event, which, after many trials, is at last 
guessed by two, and proves to be the pipe 
used by the Pied Piper of Hamelin. L, who 
guessed this first, then invites the company to 
take a ride, and they, by repeated trials, find 



20 NEW GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWN. 

he had referred to the drive of Phaeton. The 
footprint on the sand of Kobinson Crusoe's 
island is next slowly brought to light, and the 
question from another, " Do you like pork ?" 
suggests Isaac of York, Tom the Piper's Son, 
Cincinnati, and at last Circe and the compan- 
ions of Ulysses. Enough examples have been 
given to show the mingled wit and wisdom 
evoked by this game, which, when played 
with spirit, is one of the very best. If it 
seems a little hard at first, let the children 
persevere, and new ideas will be constantly 
suggested, and they will soon succeed as well 
at guessing and starting the myths as the 
older and wiser ones. 



IMPROVISATORS. 

This game will probably be new to most of 
our readers, and the manner of playing it will 
certainly be original. Any number of play- 
ers may join, and any subject will serve for a 
theme. It is only necessary for each one to 
have readiness and imagination enough to 
take up and continue the story whenever 



IMPBOVISATORE. 21 

called upon by the one who has been telling 
it, for any one can begin any story, and when- 
ever he wishes can call upon another to go on 
with it. After a pause of one moment the 
person called upon is expected to take up the 
sentence, even if broken off in the middle ; 
but he in turn can transfer it to any other 
after talking at least five minutes. To make 
this description clear it may be well to de- 
scribe minutely the manner in which it was 
lately played by a few girls who were spend- 
ing the summer and autumn in a village in 
Western Massachusetts. It was on a glorious 
evening in the Indian summer, when the soft 
haze renders the most commonplace objects 
poetic. The woods which crowned the moun- 
tain in front of the house were in a blaze of 
radiant glory. The lady at whose house they 
were staying had ornamented the great bay- 
window with wreaths of bright leaves and 
a huge bouquet of fringed gentians. Outside, 
the moon shone in full splendor, rendering 
light unnecessary, except that which was of- 
fered by the fitful flashing of a fire of apple 
branches, which sent forth a sweet aroma, and 
crackled merrily, as if burning up were good 



22 N£JW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

fun. Some of tlie girls were perched on a 
comfortable old sofa by the side of the hearth, 
and the rest reclined upon the floor in the 
bay-window. Being tired with a long walk 
to the mountain -top, they did not feel in- 
clined for active amusements, and, responding 
to a request for a quiet game, Fanny began 
as follows : " Once upon a time, many years 
ago, there lived on the banks of Crystal Lake 
a young girl named Katie and her old grand- 
mother, who, although very poor, was very 
good, and had brought up her little girl to be 
kind and gentle to all about her. As they 
lived in a small hut in the middle of a dense 
forest, they had no neighbors but the fishes 
and the birds ; so Katie loved them, and they 
loved her in return. One summer afternoon, 
as the child was strolling by the lake, and 
looking down into the clear water, she saw 
the loveliest little green-and-gold fish, which 
shone like a jewel ; but it was swimming fast, 
although apparently almost exhausted, and it 
seemed in mortal terror. In a moment she 
discovered the cause of the commotion, for 
a horrid black-and-gray water-snake appeared 
in swift pursuit. Although almost as much 



IMPR VISA TORE. 2 3 

frightened as the poor fish, Katie seized a long 
branch which lay at her feet, and struck — 
Florence, please go on." Florence — " the 
snake a severe blow on the head, so that he 
sunk to the bottom of the lake. Relieved at 
this state of affairs, Katie looked in vain for 
her beautiful fish, and sat down in tears upon 
a fallen tree. A sweet voice called to her 
from among the leaves, and she beheld a tiny 
fairy, dressed in shining gauze of green-and- 
gold, seated in a swing made of two of the 
blossoms of the chestnut - tree. Katie was 
about to run away, but the sweet voice piped 
out, 'Come here, you dear little girl; your 
courage has saved me forever from the power 
of a wdcked fairy, whom you saw in the guise 
of a serpent. Ask for whatever you wish, 
and it shall be yours.' Katie stood for a 
moment lost in thought, but, gathering cour- 
age, said — Go on, Mary." Mary — '' ' If you 
please, ma'am, I should like a pair of shoes for 
grandmother, as she is lame, and her old ones 
are nearly gone ; but, if it is asking too much, 
you need only give her one shoe.' The fairy 
replied, * Oh, you generous little girl ! Your 
grandmother shall have a new pair of stout 



24: iVJ/Tf GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

shoes, made by the crickets' shoemaker, which 
can never wear out ; but w4iat do you want 
for yourself?' ']S[othing,' said Katie; '\i 
granny's poor old feet are kept dry and warm 
all winter, I am sure I want nothing more.' 
* You dear little thing !' said the fairy, chuck- 
ling with delight ; ' but I must give you some 
pleasure in return for your bravery and kind- 
ness. How would you like to visit the crys- 
tal cave under the lake ?' ' Of all tilings !' 
said Katie ; ' but I must run home now, for 
it is nearly sundown, and grandmother will 
begin to worry about me.' ' Well, good-bye, 
my dear; and I will call for you to-night, to 
take you to Crystal Land.' When Katie told 
her grandmother her strange adventure she 
said, ' You must have been dreaming, child.' 
But while she was speaking a pair of shoes came 
hopping in at the door, and fitted themselves 
on to grandmother's feet, in place of the old 
ragged ones, which disappeared up chimney. 
Both were delighted at their softness and 
strength, and Katie went to bed with a thank- 
ful heart; but that night she had a strange 
dream, which Alice will please tell about." 
Alice — "Just as the clock struck twelve she 



IMPBOVISATORE. 25 

was wakened by a white dove, which flattered 
against the windows, and, looking out, she saw 
a golden carriage, shaped like a boat, drawn 
by two snow-white doves, in which was seated 
her fairy friend, who said, ' Take a seat, my 
dear.' She replied, ' I am too big to get in ;' 
but the fairy touched her with a golden-brown 
maple-leaf, and she felt so small that she sat 
down by the fairy, who drove the doves far 
up into the air, and then unharnessed them 
in a second, and Katie felt herself falling, 
falling, falling, until the boat reached the 
lake, when the fairy harnessed into it a huge 
frog, and he dove down until he brought them 
into a beautiful cave as bright and shining as 
the inside of a pearly shell. Great white lil- 
ies nodded at Katie in welcome as she walk- 
ed entranced along their gleaming aisles to- 
ward a beautiful throne, on which a lovely 
blonde maiden was seated under a snow-white 
canopy. This radiant maid wore a long robe 
of silver gauze hanging in folds from her 
shoulders, and on her head was — Rosa, you 
can go on." Hosa — " a silver crown, which 
she politely removed as she rose to welcome 
her guests. ' My dear fairy,' said the Crystal 



26 ^^^W a Alius FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

Queen, ' what strange creature is tliis whom 
you dare to introduce to these spotless realms V 
' A mortal child, may it please your majesty^' 
replied the fairy. ' Upon what claim ventures 
here the first of mortal birth that ever trod 
the pavement of my court?' ^I brought her 
on the strength of her self-forgetful n ess when 
another was in danger, for her pity to animals, 
and tender thought for the aged.' 'Then, 
welcome, little mortal,' said the Queen, 'to 
the pure pleasures of the crystal cave,' as she 
took little Katie by the hand and led her 
through the wonderful place, and showed her 
the great dolphins that lay lazily basking in 
the court-yard, and the curious nautilus that 
spread her silver sail in the smooth waters of 
a limpid pool, where pink-and-brown sea- 
anemones opened and closed, and the beauti- 
ful red algae floated above the silver star- 
fish which clung to the shining stones beneath. 
Then she led her to her own extensive suite 
of rooms, and there sat down to a salad of 
w^ater-lily leaves and a delicious water-ice, 
served on plates of pearl. At the banquet 
the fairy told the Queen that when she had 
offered to grant Katie's wish she had desired 



IMPR VISA TORE. 2 7 

nothing but a pair of shoes for the old lady. 
*And pretty good shoes she will find them,' 
Baid the fairy,. ' for they will never wear out, 
and she will never have the rheumatism again 
while they are on her feet.' But at last little 
Katie said, ^Oh, I must go home soon, or 
grandmother will wake up and miss me.' 
'Good-bye, little Katie,' said the Crystal 
Queen. 'Take this string of pearls for a 
parting gift, and, whenever you are in need 
of money, untie the string and take off a 
pearl, and sell it to some jeweller in the city. 
You need not be afraid of using them, for if 
you take off only one at a time, you will find 
another has grown in its place the next morn- 
ing.' Ruby, it is your turn now." " Well," 
says Ruby, "Katie and the fairy re-entered 
their carriage and started for home again, and 
in a moment the bright rays of the rising snn 
fell on Katie's blue eyes, and she found her- 
self safe in her own little bed again. ' Oh, 
grandmother,' said she, ' what a funny dream 
I have had ! And see what is this around my 
neck !' ' I declare, child ! where did you get 
that splendid string of beads V said the aston- 
ished old lady, capering about in her new 



28 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

shoes, which had cured her rheumatism for- 
ever. ' In the crystal cave. Let us sell one of 
the pearls for our dinner,' said little Katie, 
'for now we can have what we like. I pro- 
pose a great turkey to-day, as w^e can send 
half of it to poor old Robert, who has so 
often been hungry.' " 

Here this specimen story may end, as 
enough has been given to show how one idea 
will suggest another in this excellent game, 
w^hich may be played in another vein by 
making the events in funny contrast to each 
other as they go from one story-teller to the 
next. 



BIPEDS OR QUADRUPEDS. 

A VERY FUNNY GAME FOR LITTLE PLAYERS. 

This merry game may seem trifling, but if 
any wise scoffer thinks he can play it without 
making many ludicrous mistakes, let him try 
it and see ; for, simple as it is, it keeps the 
attention on the alert and the faculties on 
the strain. 

The players stand in two lines facing each 
other, with a leader at the head of each line. 



BIPEDS OR QUADRUPEDS. 29 

It is the duty of the leaders of the lines to 
call out the letters, which they can change as 
often as they please. There must be an um- 
pire chosen, also, who sits at the head of the 
lines at an equal distance from each. Tlie 
umpire must call out the numbers, wdiich are 
number two and four, and also count ten 
slowly while each player is guessing. He 
calls out either one of the above numbers the 
moment the leader has given out the letter, 
and then begins to count. When the leader 
of the right side gives out a letter, the second 
in line on the left side listens to the number 
called by the umpire, as he knows that num- 
ber two refers to a biped and number four to 
a quadruped, and that he must name some 
member of the animal kingdom answering to 
the above description, which begins with the 
letter called by the leader of the opposite 
side. If he fails to do this correctly before 
the leader counts ten, he must cross over and 
take his place at the foot of the opposite line. 
The umpire must see that there is no mistake, 
such as repeating any name once used, or 
giving to any animal too many or too few 
feet. 



30 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

Wlien the player on the left has answered, 
whether correctly or not, the leader of the 
same side in his turn calls out the same or 
any other letter ; the umpire follows with his 
number, as before ; and if the second play- 
er on the right fails to answer correctly, he 
crosses over and belongs to the right side, 
standing at the foot of the line. If the play- 
er answers the question properly, he keeps 
his place, and ties a white handkerchief around 
his neck, to show that the next question ad- 
dressed to his side must be answered by the 
player who stands next him in the line. 
When the game has gone on for half an hour 
the umpire calls out " Time," and the side 
w^iich has the most players is declared the 
victor. The game must go on with the 
greatest rapidity, and the efforts of the play- 
ers to answer rapidly without mistake are 
very amusing, as most of them make the most 
ludicrous blunders; after which they are 
obliged to march across to the other side 
as prisoners. The shouts of laughter with 
which they are received by their captors ren- 
der their playfellows anxious to avoid their 
fate, while their very anxiety renders them 



OBSERVATION. 31 

more liable to follow in their footsteps. 
Thus the fortunes of each side vary as often. 
AVhen reduced to but one or two players the 
side may fortunately gain in number until 
at last it may triumph. So the little game 
teaches concentration, perseverance, and nat- 
ural history, and furnishes merriment also. 



OBSERYATIOK 

The object of this game is to find an ar- 
ticle which is in plain sight of all ; and it is 
strange to see how long it will take some per- 
sons to discern a thing which they can readily 
see if they pay attention. One person re- 
mains in the room, and, when all the others 
have gone out, he takes some small object, 
like a thimble or kej^, which has been selected 
before the others left, and has been seen by 
all, and places it in some nook or corner, or 
in any unusual spot, where it is uncovered 
and in plain sight. He then opens the door, 
and all enter and search about the room. As 
soon as any one of the party discerns the ob- 
ject, he remarks, in a loud tone, "I observe ;" 



32 ^'JSW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

and, keeping his eyes away from the spot, in 
order to mislead his friends, he marches across 
to a distant seat and folds his hands. The 
finders in turn follow his example, and watch 
the efforts of their friends to discover the ob- 
ject, which often eludes their search for a long 
time ; and, when all but two or three are com- 
fortably seated, they find it rather embarrass- 
ing to pursue their fruitless search before so 
many spectators, which fact makes it still 
more difiicult to fix upon the desired object; 
and the game goes on until all have discover- 
ed the hidden article. The one who first dis- 
covered the thing which was concealed then 
requests the others to leave the room, in order 
that he may hide it in his turn, and thus be- 
gin the game again. 



THEOWING LIGHT. 

Many persons enjoy a quiet game which 
taxes the thinking powers ; and we offer here 
a few which will prove interesting to children, 
apd which can be played in a manner hard 
enough to tax the brightest intellect. Of 



THROWING LIGHT. 33 

these none are better than the good old game 
of Throwing Light. 

Some word must be chosen w^hich has sev- 
eral meanings, such as deer, pen, post, mail, 
rail, oar, yarn. One player may conduct the 
game, or the company may be divided into 
sides. The leader talks fluently about the 
word, using it in as many meanings as possi- 
ble, varying his conversation so as to confuse 
and mislead the guessers. I give a specimen 
of the manner in which one of the above 
words has been played by a Boston club, 
leaving the reader to guess which one is 
meant : 

" Fixed and immovable, it sustains the swift 
messenger in its rapid course, and hinders 
slow travellers on their weary way. An em- 
blem of dulness and stupidity, it spreads in- 
telligence far and near. The lover longs for 
it with ardor; and the most stupid animals 
are attached to it also. Although very mat- 
ter of fact, it is a creature of the imagination. 

" One man is supported by it in time of 
weakness, while another is plunged into sor- 
row or exalted to joy by its tidings. The 
real one is put to the meanest uses, while 
3 



34 iV^TF GAMES FOR PAMLOR AXD LAWX. 

heroes gladly sacrifice their lives for the im- 
aginary one. It cheers the sorrowing, sus- 
tains the weak, unnerves the strong, and 
holds a light to those in darkness, while the 
dnll are hound to it by enduring ties. Wel- 
comed at the doors of all, it seldom enters 
the houses of the poor ; but no house can 
stand without it, and no country exists where 
it is not known. One brings another every 
day, and a man may be called by it, from it, 
to it, and pursue its imaginarj" existence even 
to death." 



LITERATI. 

This new and interesting game will please 
and instruct young and old alike. It can be 
played by any number of persons, either in 
or out of doors. The players sit in a row 
or around the room, and one goes out, while 
the others select the name of some author 
or distinguished person. Each player then 
chooses the name of some other character, 
which begins with a letter of the name of 
the author chosen by the whole company, 
the first player taking the first letter, and 



LITERATI. 35 

the next the second, and so on until each 
letter has been assigned. The person who 
went out is then called in, and he begins 
with the player who has taken the first let- 
ter, and tries to find out which it is by ask- 
ing questions about the person selected by 
that player. He can ask any question, but 
the answers are limited to "Yes" and "I^o," 
and "I don't know." Having guessed the 
character, he of course knows the first letter, ' 
and proceeds until he has discovered the au- 
thor selected. 

To make the manner of playing very clear, 
we give two games widely different, but equal- 
ly amusing. A summer evening after a warm 
day at old Deerfield ; the children have gatli- 
ered under the old tree, according to their in- 
variable custom, at twilight. Tired with the 
active duties and pleasures of the day, they 
are arranged in a graceful group on the deep 
seat which surrounds the tree — brown -eyed 
Mabel and Minnie, golden-haired Edith, Daisy, 
Julie, Alice, Louisa, Ella, Carrie, and Nellie — 
as merry a set of romps as ever climbed an 
apple-tree or danced like fairies at the rustic 
hops. The sun has gone down behind the 



36 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

arbor, and the clouds are gleaming in orange 
and purple. From the garden under the 
bank at their feet comes up the perfume of 
the sweet -pea, heliotrope, and mignonette. 
The children have been singing until all their 
extensive stock of songs has been exhausted, 
and Edith proposes to try the new game, 
'' Literati," and strolls down through the gar- 
den to gather a bouquet, wliile the others 
are deciding upon a name for her to guess. 
"When the J are ready Edith is called back, 
and begins by questioning Mabel, who sits 
first and has the first letter. " Is it a man ?" 
''l^-o."—^' Woman?" "No."— "Boy?" "Yes." ^ 
—"Does he live in Boston?" "No."— "In 
America?" "No."— "In Europe?" "No." 
—"Did he ever live at all?" "No." Then 
Edith knows Mabel must have chosen an 
imaginary character. So she asks, "Is it a 
character from a novel ?" " No." — " From 
a poem ?" " Yes." So, after a little thought, 
she asks, " Is it ' Little Boy Blue ?' " " No."— 
"Jack Horner?" "No."— "From ^Mother 
Goose?'" "No."— "Was he a brave boy?" 
a Yes." — " Obedient ?" " Yes." ~ " Hand- 
some?" "I don't know." — "Was he a trav- 



LITERATI. 37 

eller?" "Yes." — "Did he pass much time 
on shipboard?" "Yes." Then she guesses, 
" Casabianca." 

Turning to Minnie, she asks, "A man?" 
"Yes."—" Live in this town ?" " ITo."— " In 
America ?" " Xo."— " In England ?" " Yes." 
—"A soldier?" "No." — "A statesman?" 
"1^0."— "An author?" "Yes."— "Did he 
write poems?" " Yes."— " Stories ?" "Yes." 
—"Plays?" "Yes."— "Was he rich?" "]^o." 
—"Was it Burns?" " Ko." — " Before his 
time?" "Yes." — "Long before?" "No." 
Then she guesses Goldsmith, and asks, " Was 
it his first name?" "Yes."— "Oliver?" "Yes." 

Edith then, having " CO," begins to suspect 
what the whole name may be, so asks Daisy, 
"Was he an American?" "Yes." — "A sol- 
dier?" "Yes." — "An author?" "No."— 
" A statesman ?" " Yes."—" Did he cut down 
a cherry-tree?" "Yes." — "Have you taken 
his first name?" " No,"— " The last ?" "Yes." 
— " Washington." 

Julie's name is harder to guess, although 
Edith suspects very strongly which letter it 
begins with ; and she asks, " A man ?" " No." 
—"A woman?" "No."— "Boy?" "Yes." 



38 NEW GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWN. 

—"Live in America?" " No."— " Europe ?" 
"No."— "In a book?" " Yes."— " Story ?" 
"No."— "Poem?" "Yes."— "By Bryant?" 
«]Sro."-^" Browning?" "No." — "By any 
man?" "No." — "Was the poem written by 
a lady?" "Yes." — "By Mother Goose?" 
" Yes."- "■ Was the boy greedy ?" " Yes."— 
"Was he sleepy?" "No."— "Did he shoe 
horses?" "No."— Was he fond of candy?" 
"I don't know." — "Of cake?" "I don't 
know."—" Of pickles?" "Yes."— "Then it 
must be Peter Piper." 

She asks Alice, "Was it a man?" "No." 
— -" A w^oman ?" " Yes." — " Live in Ameri- 
ca ?" " No." — " England ?" " Yes." — " A 
distinguished person ?" " Yes." — Handsome?" 
"No." — "A poetess?" "No." — "Did she 
live in this century?" "No." — "In Eng- 
land ?" " Yes."—" Was she rich ?" " Yes."— 
"Powerful?" "Yes."— "Had she a title?" 
" Yes." — " A Queen ?" " Yes." — " Did she 
wear a high ruff ?" " Yes."—" Then it must 
be Queen Elizabeth." 

Next she asks Louisa, and soon learns that 
her word w^as " Raleigh," and that the whole 
name was Cowper; and as Edith guessed it 



LITERATI. 39 

of Louisa, Louisa is obliged to go away while 
tliey fiud a name for her to guess ; and when 
she returns she must begin with Ella, as the 
first letter of the new word is taken by the 
next in order to tlie one who goes away. 
Edith takes the seat next to l^ellie and the 
third letter, and Mabel the fourth, and so 
around. After a little practice, it is easy to 
guess the name after finding three, or even 
two, of the letters ; and by gradually taking 
more difficult personages great knowledge of 
history is gained, and the dates of remarkable 
events and the reigns of all the monarchs are 
fixed in the minds of the players. 

The same game is often played at the Con- 
cord parties by persons of great skill (acquired 
by long practice) in using their powers of 
thinking and guessing, and many facts inter- 
esting to all are elicited, and occasionally a 
sharp argument arises, in which encyclopaedias 
and lexicons are appealed to in order to settle 
some closely -contested point. The sages of 
Greece and Kome, and many an obscure phi- 
losopher, or half-forgotten monarch, is rescued 
from the dust of centuries to perplex and 
tyrannize again over the minds of the players. 



40 xVJSW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

The name chosen for one of these brain- 
dubs was Plato, and the words selected by 
the players, Pythagoras, Leonidas, Attila, Tac- 
itus, and Ossian ; and to give descriptive ques- 
tions by which to find them out was some- 
what difficult. It is best, however, to have 
a good many humorous personages among 
the more learned ones, in order that the game 
may be very amusing as well as instructive. 
It is well adapted for the family circle, when 
the household gather around the evening 
lamp or flashing fire — if such luxuries have 
not all been crowded out of sight by the 
modern improvements of poor gas and dreary 
registers — when the mother and father join 
with their children in merry games ; for the 
little ones can take the little heroes of their 
nm-sery tales, and the older ones such char- 
acters as they think most adapted to instruct 
and entertain the children, who often play the 
, game better than those who have a more dis- 
tant acquaintance with the text-books. 



PMEDICAMENTS. 41 



PREDICAMENTS. 



This funnj game comes from our German 
cousins, who know how to have a good time, 
in spite of their gravity. In the evening 
they like to join with their children in merry 
games around the cheerful lamp and by the 
flashing fire, and it is from them that the 
ideas, or turning points, of many of our best 
games come. This one will be found very 
easy for the little ones, and amusing enough 
for their parents and older friends. 

Any number of people can play. All sit 
around the room, and each one w^iispers to 
his right-hand neighbor some situation in 
the form of a question ; for example, " AVhat 
would you do if your manuscript was left 
at your home forty miles away, and you had 
not discovered the fact until you had arisen 
to lecture ?" Or any imaginary predicament; 
may be suggested; as, "What if you were 
driving a load of ashes over a steep hill, and 
found that you had forgotten to put up the 
backboard of the cart ?" These questions may 
also touch upon sentiment; as follows: "If 



42 NEW GAMES FOR FARLOR AND LAWK 

you were talking sentimentally to a young 
lady in the woods, what if the bank on which 
you were seated proved to be previously oc- 
cupied by a red ants' nest ?" 

These situations must be as quaint, funny, 
and varied as possible; and when one has 
been whispered to each person all communi- 
cate in the same manner to the one on the 
left some remedy, which, as well as the ques- 
tion, must be remembered. These may be 
of a Itealing nature, like Russia salve, sooth- 
ing-syrup, poor man's plaster; or serious, 
like a gunshot, a halter, or an elopement; 
and when recited, are prefixed wdth the 
words, •'! should try," or some appropriate 
beginning. 

When all are provided with a situation 
and a remedy the game is begun by some 
one, who calls upon a lady or gentleman by 
name, and then asks, "What would you do 
if — " and adds the predicament, which has 
been given to the speaker. The person ad- 
dressed then replies, "I should try — " and 
gives the remedy whicli has been whispered 
to him. 

The combination seldom fails to prove very 



PREDICAMENTS. 43 

amusing, either from the exceedingly apt or 
the eccentric nature of the dialogue. The 
player who gave the remedy proceeds at once 
to call out another name, the gentlemen usu- 
ally naming a lady, and the ladies a gentle- 
man, and thus the game goes merrily on. In 
order to make it perfectly clear to the chil- 
dren, it may be well to give a few connected 
questions and answers: 

"Mr. Smith, what would you do if you 
were up in a balloon, and should break your 
head against the tail of a comet?" — "I 
should buy a cabbage." " Miss Johnson, if 
you were dancing the heel-and-toe polka, and 
should fall in the middle of the ball-room, 
what would you do ?" — "I should preserve 
my equilibrium." " Mr. Roberts, if your heart 
were broken, what would you do?" — "Bind 
her over to keep the peace." "Miss Lewis, 
what would you do if you were compelled 
to use the same glass as a beggar?" — "I 
should say, 'Drink to me only with thine 
eyes.'" "Mr. Brown, what if you failed to 
make an impression?" — "I should try in- 
delible ink." 



44 ^'^W GAMES FOE PARLOB AND LAWN. 



ALLITERATION. 

This game requires close attention, but is 
not nearly as difficult as it appears at first 
sight, as very young players succeed very well 
in it, after a little practice. The players are 
arranged in a circle, and each one is assigned 
a letter of the alphabet, from which he must 
produce a line, poem, or story, every word in 
which begins with the letter he has chosen ; 
and when ten minutes have passed each one 
reads or says his line in the order in which 
the players are seated. It is harder to com- 
pose these sentences without pencil and pa- 
per, so it must be settled beforehand in which 
way it shall be played. The former method 
is better, even if the lines are shorter and less 
finished, as memory is thus strengthened as 
well as invention. A few examples are given 
below, which children can very easily follow: 

An aristocratic artist angrily argued against 
an ancient art article, anticipating all antago- 
nistic announcements, and answering all aes- 
thetic attacks. 

Busy bees brightly buzz by brilliant bow- 



LETTER SEQUENCES.. 45 

ers, borrowing beneficent burdens by burrow- 
ing brown bodies below beautiful bean blos- 
soms. 

Careless censure continually condemning 
can cause careful candor considerable con- 
sternation. 

Dainty deeds daily done dearly delight du- 
tiful daughters. 

Each eager enthusiast exults every Easter, 
eagerly examining each Easter egg. 



LETTER SEQUENCES. 

In this interesting study of language the 
game consists in preparing a sentence or story, 
in which all the letters of the alphabet are 
used in regular order. To show that this can 
be easily done, a specimen is given below, and 
much amusement will be found in trying this 
experiment, which affords entertainment for a 
room full of people, who can laugh in turn 
over each other's mistakes ; or to the quiet stu- 
dent or lonely invalid, who can puzzle over it 
for hours with profit and enjoyment. When 
several persons are engaged upon it at the 



46 JVAW GA3IES FOE PARLOR AND LAWN. 

same time the game is played in two waj^s ; 
one by Laving an allotted time appointed, and 
the one who has the most complete and con- 
nected storj being the winner. In the other 
game a prize is offered for the best article, 
and to avoid jealousy the pieces when fin- 
ished are placed in a hat, from which each 
one is drawn and read, while the authorship 
is unknown. When all have been read a 
ballot is taken to decide upon their merits, 
and the one which has the most votes is de- 
clared the winner of the prize, the fortunate 
owner of whicli is obliged to make himself 
known, and receive the honor and reward of 
his efforts. Of course these stories are not 
expected to be sensible, as the fun consists 
rather in the absence of that quality. Ex 
may always be used in place of x in these 
articles. 

SPECIMEN STORY. 

A bright, clear day ; every fresh, green herb 
in joyous kind laughed merrilj. JN^ow over 
pastures, quagmires, rough, stony, thorny up- 
lands, valiant walkers exercised youthfully, 
zealously. 

A braying, careless donkej eat fragrant 



NATURAL HISTORY JINGLES. 47 

green hay in June's kind, lovely month. No 
opening posy quiet roared, "• Spare thou us, 
vain warbler." Excuse yours zealously. 



NATURAL HISTORY JINGLES. 

This very funny game was first suggested 
by the metre of the little nursery rhyme, 
''A was an Archer," and so on down the al- 
phabet, intended to teach little folks how to 
spell. Eacli person in the room is assigned 
one letter of the alphabet in order, and they 
have also ten minutes of time allowed tliem 
in which to choose the animal beginning with 
that letter, and to prepare a descriptive verse 
about it. Each one then in turn recites his 
verse in the prescribed metre, a few speci- 
mens of which are given below. 

All must be made as grotesque and humor- 
ous as possible, wnth much more attention to 
rhyme than to reason : 

A was a curious old Ant-eater, 

A very odd and remarkable cretur ; 

And if on a sudden he wanted to dine, 

I should not much care if he took one of mine. 



48 ^"EW GAMES FOR FARLOR AND LAWK 

B is a Bison, whose rough, shaggy hide 

Is a very good thing when you take a sleigh-ride ; 

But when he is in it, not pleasant to meet 

When he tramples the plain with his swift little feet. 

C is a scaly old Crocodile 

Who lazily sleeps in the mud of the Nile ; 

But you never can trust in the strength of his nap, 

For if you go near him his great jaws will snap. 



RHYMING GAMES. 

Rhyming games are very useful as well as 
entertaining, as they give facility in expres- 
sion and practice in writing. One of the sim- 
plest methods is the old one of writing two 
rhyming words on a slip of paper, and any 
other word on another slip, each player draw- 
ing from a hat one of each kind, and intro- 
ducing the single word into his reply to the 
thought suggested by the furnished rhym^e^" 
and completing the verse by a couplet rhymed 
to the word separately drawn, which may be 
inserted between the two, or follow them ; 
but the three words drawn must, in all cases, 
be placed at the ends of the lines composing 
the verse. 



JtHYMmG GAMES. 49 

As practice is acquired, the number of 
words necessary to be added may be in- 
creased until the game becomes very diffi- 
cult, as each must be ready within an allotted 
space of time. 

Another method is for each player to write 
one word on a slip of paper, which being 
drawn by another player, must form the an- 
swer to a general question decided upon by 
a general vote. In this game many varied 
poems, with widely different answers, will be 
furnished upon the same theme. 

A club for practice in this art was formed 
twenty-five years ago in Concord, Massachu- 
setts, which continued its weekly meetings 
for many years, and many of the players are 
now engaged in literary pursuits, whose first 
attempts were made in playing these simple 
games. A few specimens of the later work 
of one of them are here added : 

ODE TO MAY. 

Bring out my thickest flannels and my rubbers, 

granny dear! 
For this will be the chilliest day of all the glad new 

year — 

4 



50 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

*' Of all the glad new year," granny 1 the bleakest, 

coldest day 
That ever you have seen, granny ! " I'm to be Quee;a 

of the May !" 

With a wreath of paper roses upon my sneezing 

head, 
O'er damp and dewy meadows my footsteps will be 

led. 
Where the cowslips in the pasture, so boggy is the 

ground. 
With all the misery-be-anthum and the snow-drops 

all around. 

The pine-clad hills around me enjoy their nice warm 

furs, 
And the little pussy willow along the brookside 

purrs ; 
I need not gather knots of flowers, the wind makes 

my nose gay ; 
The end so bright, like beacon light, will cheer the 

first of May. 

I will find some leaves of thoroughwort, no matter 

if it's old ; 
The drier 'tis the better — it will serve to cure a 
cold; 



RHYMING GAMES. 51 

And stalks of last year's mullein, though out of 

bloom it is ; [matiz. 

For though it is not handsome, 'twill cure the rheu- 

I will go out to Quinsey, or it will come to me, 

The crocuses, as well he may, the cold unplanted lea ; 

Hail, gentle Spring ! the snow-birds sing with diph- 
theritic voice. 

And doctors, with their great long bills, will in the 
spring rejoice. 

In the merry, merry spring-time ! I do not wish to 
dye [awry ; 

My hair, because its eager blast will blow my crimps 

But " put me in my little bed," 'neath blankets there 
to rest. 

With a nice warm mustard plaster upon my tender 
breast. 

CONSTANCE. 

May your sweet life, my charming one, 
Like our loved river ever run 
Placid and pure, serene and still, 
By flowery bank and sheltering hill ; 
Where stony shallows careless lie. 
With rippling laughter gliding by. 
And drifting free with gentle art 
From tangled ropes of Floating Heart, 



52 ^^W GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

In calm and silent shades to dream 
Mid shining lilies' spotless gleam. 
And when the heavy shadows fall, 
(For they must surely come to all,) 
May heavenly visions half divine 
In deep reflection mirrored shine. 
And as the river's ever flowing, 
Beauty and life on all bestowing. 
May all who know you happier be 
For your sweet grace and Constancy. 

WHISPERING RUSHES. 

Just opposite Bird's-nest Island, where the willows 

droop so low. 
Is the place where the whispering rushes in curves 

of beauty grow. 
At the bend of the Assabet Kiver, where it leaves 

the shady aisle [awhile ; 

Of the vine-entangled maples to bask in the sun 

Where the trunk of the fallen oak-tree lies close to 
the water's brink, 

Ki the foot of the sloping hillock, where the white 
cow comes to drink ; 

Here the boats at sunset gather to watch the radi- 
ant show, [low ; 

And to hear the rushes whisper in accents sweet and 



liHYMING GAMES. 53 

For they still have a tender secret for those who 

have ears to hear, 
A story of love that fades not with the smile of the 

fickle year, 
Of a beautiful brown-eyed maiden who is now a 

wrinkled crone, [own. 

AVho stole the heart of a rustic and kept it for her 

Oh ! she was as soft and as fitful as the froth of the 
thistle-down, [thorny crown ; 

And he was as rough and greener than the thistle's 

For he learned to love and trust her with the whole 
of his faithful heart, 

While she for a summer's pastime was but trying 
her witching art. 

She fled with the fading summer, and forgot, ere the 

day was done, 
The idle words and the kisses she had given him 

just for fun; [years forlorn, 

But the old man keeps his promised tryst for forty 
And each year comes back with the rushes his 

broken faith to mourn. 

I ventured to accost him as he bent above the bank, 
But at sight of his mournful visage my voice to a 
whisper sank : 



54 NEW G Alius FOB PABLOR AND LAWN. 

"Pray tell me, ancient stranger, can time such sor- 
row heal ?" — 

"Peace!" said the hoary pilgrim; "I'm bobbing for 
an eel." 

IN THE LIBRARY. 

Rain's hazy curtain, dim and gray, 
Softens the sweet September day. 
Like vivid thought in fading dream 
One struggling sunbeam's fitful gleam 
Lights up the dim scholastic gloom 
Of the long-alcoved, book-lined room, 
Where, 'mid art treasures rich and rare, 
Is one sweet picture yet more fair: 
In recessed window draped with vines 
A lady gracefully reclines ; 
Her jewelled fingers idly hold 
An ancient missal centuries old ; 
Her sweet blue eyes in dreamy light 
See visions hid from mortal sight. 
Except from those by sorrow tried. 
And by Love's victory glorified. 

Outside, day lilies gleaming white 
Reach up to see the pleasant sight; 
And common flowers that old folks love 
Crowd thick around and climb above. 



RHYMING GAMES. 55 

As if they tried in vain to see 
And guess the hidden mystery. 

Riches are good, O lady mine, 
Jewels and gold and raiment fine, 
Wisdom and power and worldly fame, 
And lordly rank and ancient name ; 
But love, true love, is first and best — 
The glorious crown of all the rest. 



A BEHEADED RHYME. 

"the course of true love never did run smooth." 

I sought the river^s breezy 

Leaving with joy the breezeless 

And found it dark and clear as 

Fresh from a ward. 

Trampling the dry and scentless 

I said to my attendant 

" What has been soft I will pass 

However broad." 

I tried it, but a warning 

O'erthrew me, and my hat did 

So I took up my staff of 

And tried aoain. 



56 :^£^W GAMES FOE PARLOR AND LAWN. 

" O, go not on that pure white 

For it is honey-combed like 

And for destruction it is 

By recent rain." 

So on each foot he bound a 

And called me his beloved 

Sweeter than grapes that can't be 

His accents were. 

With all our might we striving 

He holding fast my graceful 

Like rooster's tail just after 

Or feline fur. 

His tender words they were not 

Though dark as any child of 

As of a Southern race I 

Without a doubt. 

We came upon a glassy 

When something did my footsteps 

Alas ! my train, I heard it 

And turned about. 

I slipped and tumbled in a 

With face as pale as any 

He took me from the dangerous 

And led me home. 



THE ENIG3IA GAME: 57 

My heart and hand both freely 

As by my Edwin homeward 

I swore to be the bride of 

And ne'er to roam. 

The words to be supplied at the end of 
the first line of each stanza are, respectively : 
brink, clover, smash, stripe, skate, strain, sham, 
strip, trice, bled. 



THE ENIGMA GAME. . 

This game can be most conveniently play- 
ed around a table with one-half the players ar- 
ranged on each side. The dictionary is search- 
ed for words of which the syllables have each 
a distinct or doable meaning. The players on 
each side of the table then write one enigma 
each, and when all are ready those written by 
one side are passed over to the opposite to be 
guessed, for which purpose they may in turn 
be passed from one to another on the same 
side. In order that they may not be mixed 
the enigmas written by each side respectively 
should bear a distinguishing mark. An hour 
may be devoted to guessing, and the side which 



58 ^^EW GAMES FOR FARLOR AND LAWN. 

has guessed the most is declared the winner. 
As specimens the following are given : 

1. 
Above their crowns all monarchs prize 
My first, which fades not w^hen it dies ; 
By it the erring are restrained, 
And inward transports are sustained. 

2. 
My next controls the poet tongue ; 
Without it Chaucer were unsung ; 
In midst of plenty man or maid 
Might starve without its friendly aid. 



If o-n my last my .first should seize, 
'T would cause a very sad disease, 
Of which the victim could not tell 
The name, although he knew it well. 

Answer — Lockjaw. 

1. 

Nothing, however great or small, 
Without my first exists at all ; 
On pleading lips 'tis often heard 
Of lawyer, preacher, or of bird. 



TEE ENIGMA GAME. 59 

2. 
This word they could noi hear or say 
Unless my second is the way ; 
Correct and straight in its true plan, 
Though trampled under foot of man. 

3. 
Though stoned and trodden in the mire, 
Oppression lifts ray whole up higher. 
Till it great burdens can sustain. 
And bear huge loads of freight and grain. 

Ansiver — Causeway. 

1, 

Two lovers by the fire-side sit ; 
The rosy moments by them flit ; 
My little first completes their bliss. 
And echoes in their sounding kiss. 

2. 

This bliss they never could sustain. 
Without my second's golden grain ; 
Yet if it does attend their feet, 
Their daily walk is incomplete. 



My whole leaps forth beneath the flame, 
Revealing in its compound name 



60 iV:£'^F GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

How pure and white the toughest things 
Expand 'neath trial's fiery wings. 

Answer — Pop-corn. 



MACHINE SONNETS. 

Although this species of poetry has been 
considered hard to write, and oftener harder 
to read when written, a simple recipe is here 
given by which sonnets by any one, with very 
little effort, can be produced. One person se- 
lects a sounet from the works of any author 
->-the less known the better — and covers the 
printed lines with a sheet of paper, leaving 
the last word of each line only visible. He 
then reads aloud the word which concludes 
the first line, and waits until every player has 
composed a line ending in this word in any 
metre, and on any subject. When all are 
ready he reads the next word, and so on until 
every person present has composed a poem, 
all of which differ in every way, excepting 
that the last words are alike. This game will 
be found interesting alike to children and their 
parents, and is well worthy the attention of 
the most experienced players. 



THE GAME OP ADJECTIVES. 61 

THE GAME OF ADJECTIVES. 

One person is sent out of the room, while 
the remainder of the players select some ad- 
jective. Upon his return he asks in turn of 
each player some question, in reply to which 
the person addressed must designate the ad- 
jective chosen, without mentioning it. This 
reply must answer the question definitely, and 
at the same time fully express the nature of 
the adjective. The adjective chosen must, of 
course, be of a strongly descriptive character, 
and the game gives an opportunity for much 
ingenuity and skill in the answ^ers, which are 
very amusing, especially when the question 
happens to be in direct opposition to the 
usual tone of tlie adjective. The person who 
gives the answer by which this adjective is 
detected is obliged to go out of the room in 
his turn, while the other players select an- 
other for him to guess. When ready they 
call him in, and he begins by asking first the 
player who sat next the last guesser, and thus 
each one replies in turn^ and all have an 
equal chance. 



62 ^^EW GAMES FOR PARLOB AND LAWN. 

PIN-DRAWINGS. 

This new and amusing game will be found 
attractive by children of all ages. It will 
cultivate a taste for drawing in the young, 
and prove interesting to the more skilful, for 
very good artists in Germany have found 
pleasant emjDloyment for their leisure hours 
in tracing its ever-varying changes. 

Any number of persons can play, the only 
materials needed being a pencil and a sheet 
of paper for each, and six common pins. 
Sheets of paper are laid evenly, one above 
the other, and five of the pins are held three 
feet above them in the right hand of the 
leader between his thumb and forefinger. 
The pins are dropped at once, and lie in an 
irregular manner on the paper, some close 
together and some far apart. A hole is then 
made with the other pin at the exact spot 
where each of the five pin-heads lie, and this 
pin is stuck through all the sheets of paper 
at once, so that they are all pinned in exactly 
the same places. 

Each person then takes a sheet and all draw 
the picture of a man, woman, or child, in sucli 



THE ARTIST. ^^B^ 

a way that one pin-hole only must come in 
the outline of the head and also in that of 
each hand and foot. The effort to do this, 
of course, produces many curious shapes in 
odd and grotesque positions. 

The game can be changed by drawing quad- 
rupeds, allowing one pin-hole for the head and 
one for each foot ; or birds, by using only 
three pins. Much fun can be added by hu- 
morous accounts, in prose or rhyme, written 
under the nondescript animals thus drawn. 

When finished the pictures are passed around 
for criticism, and each adds the name suggest- 
ed to his mind by it, and also guesses the 
name of the artist, who, if he finds that his 
work has been discovered, is obliged to ac- 
knowledge it, and also to confess the name of 
the animal he attempted to delineate, which 
usually creates a good laugh, if the drawing 
is not otherwise valuable as a work of art. 



THE ARTIST. 



Each player draws the head of some per- 
son, animal, bird, or fish, and, turning down 
the paper, passes it to the next, who draws 



NEW GAMES FOE PARLOR AND LAWN. 

a body and passes it to a third, who finishes 
the picture — of course without knowing what 
has been done by his predecessors. On open- 
ing the paper a singular figure is the result. 
When finished the pictures are throw^n into 
a hat, and then they are passed around the 
room, and each person takes one out and 
writes upon the back the name of the animal 
and some mention of its peculiar faults or 
virtues. If this can be done in rhyme it is 
better. They then place the papers in the 
hat, and each draws out one for the second 
time, and, standing up, exhibits the picture 
and reads the remarks, which he extends into 
a little speech or lecture on natural history, 
if he is able. There should be very little 
delay in writing, reading, or drawing, as of 
course the only merit these works possess is 
in their absurdity, of which there is usually 
no lack. Colored crayons and charcoal may 
be used to advantage in this game, from which 
artists cannot fail to gather ideas. Others 
interested in ^' evolution " may also find ma- 
terial for their treatises in the same direc- 
tion, and all will find what may be better 
still, a good laugh. 



leader, and requests any two to think of an 
object and person, and the game goes on as 
before, A few specimens will illustrate the 
form of the comparisons, the question to be 
answered being, Why is the object like the 
person ? For example : ^' A palm-leaf fan is 
like Miss Volatile, because you cannot make 
it shut up." " Miss A. Tractive is like a show- 
er, because a bow always follows her." " A 
key-hole is like a carpet, because both are al- 
ways in-doors." "A fop is like a soap-bub- 
ble, because the best show is on the outside." 
"Miss Stacey (a very domestic young lady) 
resembles a mosquito, because it is never far 
from its hum." The more extravagant and 
far-fetched these comparisons are the bette-r. 



INITIALS. 

This new and interesting game can be play- 
ed in several ways, and can be used also in 
connection with other old games, to which 
it lends a new charm. Any nimiber of play- 
ers can join, each one of whom tells the ini- 
tials of his or her name, which the others can 



•J JVUW GAMES FOE PAUL OB AND LAWN. 

write on a slip of paper, if they do not prefer 
trusting to memory. Each player invents an 
initial sentence, nsing the letters of one of 
the names. This sentence may be humorous 
or sensible, complimentary or the reverse, and 
can sometimes be made to fit exceedingly 
well. As specimens, a few impromptu sen- 
tences are given on the actual names of some 
of the original players : Easter Eggs, Exqui- 
site Elegance, Fairy Prince, Fried Pork, Wil- 
ful Negligence, What Nonsense ! Serene Truth 
Triumphs, Sa.ucy Tell - tale, Goodness Brings 
Blessings. When all have prepared one or 
more sentences the leader begins by address- 
ing any person he pleases with a remark form- 
ed upon his initials, and each of the other 
players follow his example, also using the same 
letters. This attack is kept up indiscriminate- 
ly on the person addressed by the leader, until 
lie can answer the perspn who last addressed 
liini before another of the players can say 
another sentence in the letters of his name, 
in which case the others all turn their re- 
marks on the one who has been thus caught. 
The game then goes merrily on, as shouts of 
laughter always follow the quick conceits 



BOqUETATEE. 69 

wliicli are sure to be inspired by the excite- 
ment of the game. As a specimen of the 
way in which it can be applied to an old 
game, "Twirl the Platter" has a new interest 
when the players are called out by initial 
sentences, as the effort to discover one's own 
name in some obscure remark made by the 
twirler, in order to catch the platter before it 
ceases to spin, keeps every player on the alert. 



BOQUETAIRE. 

This new and interesting game requires a 
little preparation, which forms part of the 
fun. It is either made up of contributions 
from all the players, each of whom brings 
three presents, or all the gifts are furnished 
by the lady of the house. These gifts should 
consist of a great variety of useful, ornament- 
al, graceful, and funny articles ; such as toys, 
fans, dolls of small size, boxes of candy of 
odd shapes, books, small articles of jewellery, 
china, and bric-a-brac. 

The smaller articles should be enclosed in 
boxes, or many wraps of paper, so that all 



70 NEW 0A2IES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

may be nearly alike in size. They are all 
done np separately, each in a floral envelope, 
and are tastefully arranged in an open, flat 
box or basket, which, when full, presents the 
appearance of a pyramid of flowers. 

Great taste may be displayed in making 
these petals — as the envelopes are called — for 
which these simple directions may be fol- 
low^ed, with such variations as practice may 
suggest : Take a dozen sheets of tissue-paper, 
comprising as many colors as possible ; fold 
them together in the middle ; fold in each 
corner in the shape of a pyramid, then double 
it twice, cut a piece out of the top of this in 
the shape of the letter Y, and crimp up each 
sheet in the hand as flne as possible. Mix up 
these colors according to taste, as the petals 
may be of several shades or all of one color. 
Place the presents inside of these papers and 
twist them tw^ice around, and spread the pet- 
als in various w^ays. 

A very little practice will enable children 
to make successful imitations of gay flowers. 
The number of these gifts depends upon the 
number of players, and there should be at 
least three times as many presents as persons. 



FOUR-AND-TWENTT BLACKBIRDS. 79 

Enter Cruel Maid, who sings to the tune^ *' Oh ! lohere haa my 
little dog gone V 

MAID. 

Oh where ? oh where ? has the master cook gone ? 

Oh where ? oh where is he ? 
The noblest King has a message sent. 

Oh where ? oh where can he be ?" 

COOK. 

Oh, here am I, the greatest of cooks. 

What do you want of me? 
If the noblest King wants the noblest cook, 

I'm sure that I am he. 



The kingly appetite fades full fast. 
And soon it will fade away ; 

Unless he has something new to eat, 
In life he cannot stay. 

COOK. 

Oh what ? oh what ? oh what can I do 

The royal taste to tempt ? 
I've tried so well, and I've tried so long, 

I know it's a vain attempt. 

MAID. 

He wants a pie, and pie he must have 
Made of something nice and sweet ; 



80 NEW GAMES FOR FAULOR AND LAWK 

Made of something bright that is black and light, 
Of such that is good to eat. 

COOK. 

Oh, what can I find that is black and bright. 

And is also good to eat ? 
I am in a stew. Oh, what can I do 

To get for him such a treat ? 



Your little blackbirds are very bright ; 

Their voices are also sweet. 
Make a pie of them, and then, no doubt. 

He'd find it good to eat. 



Oh fie, oh fie, you cruel maid ! 

How could you say such a thing? 
Oh, must I kill my dear little birds 

To set before the King ? 



Better lose your birds than give up your place ; 

For if you offend the King, 
If you lose your head and preserve your birds. 

You never can hear them sing. 

\^Exit Maid, Cooks repeat the first chorus, 
and curtain falls. 



FOUR-AND-TWENTT j^LAGKBIEDS. 81 

Scene II. 

The King sits in centre^ his back close to a door, which is coih- 
cealed by a curtain; before him is a huge pie. T/ie Qdeen 
sits by his side. T/ie Cook waits at table, and Lords and 
Ladies are standing around the sides of the room. Tlcey 
sing to the tune, '■^Should auld acquaintance be forgot P"* TJie 
Cook first hows prof oundly several times. 

COOK. 

Greatest of Kings, you here behold a pie both sweet 
and new, 

And full of things both black and bright, and al- 
most worthy you. 

It is a dainty dish, I'm sure, and with great joy I 
bring 

The greatest of all pies to set before the greatest 
King. 

KING. 

You have done well, oh, faithful cook ! 

And with much joy I see 
The work which you have truly tried 

To render fit for me. 

Your praise shall sound on every side 

Where'er ray subjects range ; 
So lift the crust, and let us try — 

This pie so new and strange. 
6 



82 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

The Cook cuts the pie; a sa-eam is heard ; then a variety of 
bird-notes made by blowing pewter- whistles in a bowl of wa- 
ter. A Blackbird rises tip and jumps out ; a second then 
rises and jumps out, as explained hi the note. When as 
many as convenient have emerged, they form a semicircle 
around in front of the ladies and gentlemen of the court. 
As each one comes up the King lifts his hands and eyes to 
the ceiling in great astonishment, and his motions are all ex- 
actly imitated by the Court. The Birds then sing to the tune, 
'■'■Three BlacJc Crows.^^ 

There were some birds upon a tree, 
As gay and bright as they could be. 
The crnel maid said to the cook, 
" Go Mil your birds !" Our lives he took. 

He made us all into a pie, 
And so, alas ! we had to die ! 
Now let one go who's not afraid 
To nip the nose of that bad maid. 

One bird runs out ; a scream is Jieard ; and the Critel Maid 
comes in crying. She has a piece of black court-plaster over 
her nose, and she holds her apron up to her face, in ivhich is 
hidden a sponge soaked with beet -juice, which runs down 
when she presses the sponge. She is followed, by the Black- 
bird, who has a false nose fastened to his bill. 

The Birds sing, and the Maid anes in concert. 

The Cruel Maid has lost her nose 
In payment for our dreary woes. 



FOUR-ANDTWENTY BLACEBIRDIS. 83 

What shall we do the cook to pay 
For serving us in such a way ? 
TJie Cook hieels in terror. 



I think you'd better let him go ; 
He will do so no more, I know. 
And I will try not to be greedy, 
But give more help unto the needy. 

Each person in the circle then take^ hold of the domino of a 
Blackbird, and they all jump as high as they can. Tlie dom- 
inos are quickly concealed behind the courtiers, and the chil- 
dren appear as Fairies. The King advances to the centre 

' and bows to the Fairies, who boio to him in turn. The 
Cook picks up the nose of the Maid and tries to fasten it on, 
hut she conceals it in her apron and pulls the patch off her 
own nme. The Fairies then dance rapidly around the King, 
raising their heads high, and lowering them as they bow to 
him ; they divide and v^alk around in couples, then form 
two circles, whirling round, and finally join in one ring, 
which they divide in the centre, so to bow to the audience in 
a semicircle as the curtain falls. 



Xote. — The pie is made by nailing a square frame around 
a flour barrel four inches below the top. From this frame a 
table-cloth hangs to the floor, concealing the rest of the bar- 
rel, the upper part of which resembles a pie standing on a 
table, after it has been covered with yellow paper. The top 
or crust of the pie is made of brown paper, on which flour is 



84 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

stuck by a thick coating of paste. In the back of this barrel 
a large hole is cut, and a box is placed inside to help the 
children to rise up. As the near side of the barrel is cov- 
ered by the flowing robes of the King, they crawl up under 
his chair, which must be placed against a door, unless it is 
performed on a stage built for the purpose, in which case it 
is better to have a trap-door under the barrel. In either 
case it is funny to see so many children rise up out of a pie 
seemingly four inches high. 



PYGMALION. 

A charade: in three scenes. 

Scene 1 : Pig.^ — In the first scene a farmer 
and philanthropist are eagerly conversing on 
the improvement of the condition of the pig. 
The former is eloquent over the refinement 
and culture which is sure to follow the proper 
education of that gifted animal. 

After listening patiently to his remarks, the 
farmer ventures to ask the orator if he has 
ever seen a pig. On his replying in tlie nega- 
tive the farmer takes him to the back of the 
room, where a pen is made by covering chairs 
with a gray shawl. 

The farmer takes a pail and pours the im- 
aginary contents over the fence, when such a 



ILLUSTIUTED POEMS. 91 

His face lit up with a gleam of joy, 

As an angel dream passed o'er him. 
He carved that dream on the changing stone 

With many a sharp incision, 
Till with Heaven's own light the sculpture shone : 

He had caught that angel vision. 

" Sculptures of life are we as we stand, 

With our souls uncarved before us, 
Waiting the hour when at Heaven's command 

Our life dream passes o'er us. 
If we carve it then on the changing stone, 

With many a sharp incision, 
Its Heavenly glory shall be our own. 

Our lives that angel vision." 

THE THREE FISHERS. 

The illustrated ballad of Kingsley's '*' Three 
Fishers" is always effective. It requires a 
good contralto to sing behind the scenes, one 
verse at a time, the following words, written 
by Charles Kingslej, one of the best men who 
ever lived : 

" Three i3shers went sailing out into the deep, 
Out into the deep, as the sun went down ; 
Each thought of the woman who loved him best. 

And the children stood watching them out of the town. 
For men must work and women must weep, 
Though storms be sudden, and waters deep, 
And the harbor bar be moaning. 



92 ^EW GAMES FOR PAHLOIi AND LAWN. 

" Three wives stood up in the hghthouse tower, 

And they trimmed their lamps as the sun went down; 
Each looked at the sea and looked at the shower, 

And the night-wrack came rolling up ragged and brown. 
For men must work and women must weep. 
Though storms be sudden, and waters deep, 
And the harbor bar be moaning. 

" Three corpses lay out on the shining sand, 

In the morning sun, when the tide went down. 
And the women were weeping and wringing their hands 

For those who will never come back to the town. 
For men must work and women must weep. 
And the sooner it's over, the sooner to sleep ; 
So good-bye to the bar and its moaning." 

The characters required are three large boys 
in sailor's dress, and three girls in bright skirts, 
white waists, black bodices, and high caps. In 
the first scene one fisher points out to sea, in 
the foreground, on the left side ; his wife 
kneels by hiin, as if sorry to part. In the 
centre the taller couple stand in earnest con- 
versation, and at the right the wife seems 
begging her husband to lieed the warning 
of the older man on the left, to whom she 
points with her right hand, while she rests 
her left upon his shoulder. 

In the second scene the taller of the three 



ILLUSTRATED POEMS. 93 

girls stands behind a table, resting her left 
liand upon it. She is pointing with her right 
hand, and has a very anxious expression ; at 
her right anotlier girl bends eagerly forward, 
and at the left the third girl kneels, and both 
hold their hands over their eyes, as if striving 
to see through the blinding mist and flying 
spray. A lai'ge lantern with a reflector stands 
under the table, and they seem to have paused 
in their work to watch the rising storm. 

In the third scene the same girls are discov- 
ered; the taller one is just entering the door, 
as if overcome with the sad news of the loss ; 
at the right another girl is kneeling beside a 
spinning-wheel, as if she had just heard the 
sad news and was overcome by despair. The 
third stands at the other side, leaning on a 
chair with her left hand, and pointing with 
the right toward the messenger, as if she can 
not believe the tidings. 

KING COPHETUA AND THE BEGGAR -MAID. 

King Cophetua and the beggar -maid can 
be used either with or without the reading of 
the poem, if a tableau or illustrated ballad is 
preferred. The king, attended by his cour- 



94 ^EW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWX 

tiers, occupies the right ; the attendants make 
up a semicircle around the king, who is con- 
templating the beggar-maid with admiration. 
He is dressed in a long robe of turkey-red 
cloth, ornamented with ermine — made of wad- 
ding inked in spots. The beggar-maid has a 
calico dress, covered with patches, a pair of 
flesh -colored stockings, and no shoes. She 
has a ragged hat in her hand, a bright ker- 
chief over her shoulders, and her hair is down. 
The poem, one verse of which is here given, 
may be found in Tennyson's works : 

" Her arms across her breast she laid ; 

She was more fair than words can say ; 
Barefooted came the beggar-maid 

Before the King Cophetua. 
In robe and crown the king stepped down, 

To meet and greet her on her way. 
* It is no wonder,' said the lords ; 

' She is more beautiful than dav.' " 



A HONSENSE CHARADE. 

In this novel amusement many of the noted 
wits and wise men of the day have found re- 
laxation from the cares of business, and the 
author has often seen grave men whose voices 



A XONSUy^SU CHARADE. 05 

Lave rung witli power in the pulpit and court- 
room join with their children in the merry 
sport with childish abandon. The idea is to 
find quaint w^ords where the sound of each 
syllable is different from the spelling, if possi- 
ble ; as the sound of the w^ord must, of course, 
be followed. Each syllable must also have a 
distinct meaning or action, upon which the 
oddest conceits can be carried out in the most 
extravagant manner. 

Scene 1: Mosque. — An Oriental mosque as- 
tonishes the spectators by its beauty and real- 
istic effect, especially when they know it has 
been built wholly of tables and chairs, with 
domes and minarets of umbrellas ; and the 
effect is exceedingly picturesque, as the many- 
hued umbrellas have been ingeniously lighted 
with candles, so that the dark cotton and silk 
contrast strongly with the gay Japanese. A 
white-robed and turbaned crier mounts to the 
highest minaret by climbing slowly up on the 
tables, and shouts his shrill call, on which a 
long procession slowly winds along and around 
the room, chanting a monotonous song. All 
form in a line in front of the mosque and 
sink to their knees, and then fall forward on 



96 NEW GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWK 

their faces in exact unison to the sound of a 
gong or pan. All rise together, turn around 
at once, and slowly march into the building, 
from which a solemn chant is heard. All are 
dressed in white cotton sheets, which are fold- 
ed shawl-fashion, and thrown over the shoul- 
ders ; a hood is pinned at the back, in order 
to make the front hang straight. A turban 
is made from a pillow-case bj pinning it first 
around the head and over the face, the ends 
being behind, and the middle just over the 
nose; then the lower edge is slowly lifted 
and drawn up from over the face and thrown 
back over the head, leaving a band around the 
forehead, and forming a graceful square-cor- 
nered head-dress. For the chant any slow- 
measured music will answer, sung in a mo- 
notonous manner, with the lips nearly closed. 
Sce7ie 2: Key. — Fatima, the wife of Blue 
Beard, is earnestlj^ begging liim for the key ; 
she kneels, begs, dances around him, and tries 
in vain by all her witching wiles to obtain 
possession of the key which he holds and as- 
sures her in pantomime that she shall never 
have. He also tells her of the danger of dis- 
obedience to his commands bv drawino^ his 



A NONSENSE CHARADE. 97 

hand across bis throat, to show that slie will 
lose her head if she meddles with his kej^s. 
She goes away sadlj disappointed, and Blue 
Beard sits down and goes fast asleep, when 
Fatima enters on tiptoe, and, with great trepi- 
dation, steals the bunch of keys from his 
pocket. Looking constantly over her shoul- 
der to see if he is about to awake, she selects 
the particular key she wants, returns the rest 
to Blue Beard's pocket, holds it up in triumph, 
and goes off again at the left. Blue Beard 
soon wakes up, rubs his eyes, feels in his pock- 
et to see that his keys are safe, and walks off 
at the right. Fatima enters at left, and watches 
his retreat, gazing anxiously in the direction 
of his departure ; and, after crossing the room 
many times with great anxiety, she finally 
turns the key and opens the door of the mys- 
terious closet, and sees with horror the decap- 
itated heads of Blue Beard's former wives. 
When Fatima sees this horrid sight she sinks 
fainting to the ground, and in her fright 
drops the key into the closet, where it is ap- 
parently stained with blood by picking up an- 
other key which lies there, on which a piece 
of red flannel has been sewed. Her sister 
7 



98 NEW GAMES FOn PAELOR AND LAWN. 

Anne now enters, and also faints at the sight 
of the dreadful spectacle. Thej close the 
door of the closet jnst as Blue Beard returns, 
and Fatinia is vainly trying to clean the key, 
when he takes it from her hand, and gives her 
warning to prepare for instant death. In vain 
she kneels and begs ; the fatal sword is raised 
above her head, and is about to fall, when Sis- 
ter Anne, who has been frantically waving 
her handkerchief and beckoning for aid from 
the top of a table at the right, leaps down and 
catches his arm. Blue Beard orders her away, 
and she resumes her former call for help. 
Again the dreadful sword is poised. Fatima 
bows her fair neck to the blow, and just in 
time her two brothers, called to her aid by the 
faithful Anne, rush in and finish Blue Beard 
after a fearful struggle. Each is armed with 
a poker, and after a long fight Blue Beard is 
stabbed under the arm and falls heavily to the 
ground. The brothers wipe their swords, and 
tlie handkerchiefs with which this is done are 
shown to the audience, covered with large 
spots of red-flannel blood. A tableau is then 
formed over the body of the prostrate Blue 
Beard, one brother on each side, with the la- 



A y ON SENSE CHABADE. 99 

dies in the centre — Sister Anne waving her 
liandkerchiefj and Fatima holding on high 
the fatal key. The Turkish dresses are easi- 
ly made by tying one shawl around the waist 
and another draped over the shoulders, with 
turbans twisted of Roman scarfs. Blue Beard 
wears a huge crescent in his turban, from 
which a blue veil or ravelled stocking forms 
his beard. He carries a tin dish-cover for a 
shield, and uses a fire-shovel for a sword. 

Scene 3 : Toe. — In the centre of this scene 
the statue of Peter occupies a prominent 
place, seated on a high pedestal made by a 
small table and box standing on top of a large 
table. These tables are draped with sheets, 
and a large man is seated on the smaller table, 
with his right foot on the box, a potato being 
fastened to this foot to enlarge the toe, w^hich 
is kept in place by a large wliite stocking. A 
sheet is drawn around the w^aist on a string, 
and another sheet is draped around the body 
in classic folds. The arms are covered with 
white sleeves, the head is bound with a towel, 
to which skeins of cotton yarn are fastened, 
and the hands are incased in white gloves. 
The face is chalked, and with a faint hVht 



100 ^'^'W GA3IES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

the effect is exceedingly fine. The tolling of 
a bell is heard in the distance, which is made 
by striking a glass lamp-shade with a stick 
around the end of which a piece of cloth is 
wrapped. Persons of various sexes and ages 
now enter from the two sides of the room, 
clad in as many styles of dress as possible, and 
as each one finds an opportunity he rever- 
ently bestows a kiss upon the toe. 

Scene 4 : Mosquito. — The whole word is 
next enacted by a scene from the Concord 
School of Philosophy. One of the chief 
philosophers is seated in the Grove, explain- 
ing to a group of lady pupils the philosophy 
of nature and the perfect harmony of inani- 
mate things. "Out-of-doors," says he, " we 
behold the infinite peace, fitness, and harmony 
of all things. Beneath the cerulean dome there 
is nothing to disturb, annoy, or vex the human. 
Nothing but contentment and beatific joy pre- 
vails." The philosopher emphasizes every 
word with constant and vigorous slaps upon 
his face and hands, in which he is imitated by 
his pupils, who follow his motions exactly, all 
keeping time with each other. The address 
goes on in this style with increasing vigor of 



THE WOXDFJiFUL DRAWING LESSON. 101 

speecli and action, until a huge mosquito 
comes buzzing in, which is performed bj a 
boy with a brown shawl sewed around his 
body, to which great wings made of brown 
paper folded in creases are pinned, so that 
they flap as he moves his shoulders. The boy 
runs rapidly in on his hands and knees, and 
his hum grows louder as he advances. The 
ladies hold up their hands, and run off with 
all their might at the left, followed by the 
mosquito ; and so it ends. 



THE WONDERFUL DRAWIKG LESSOK 

Many years ago a very funny pantomime 
was performed by the Ravels, or some other 
talented actors, that astonished every one who 
saw it, and no one could guess how it was 
done. We propose first to give a sketch of 
the action of the scene, and then to describe 
a very simple manner of doing the trick upon 
which it depends. By careful attention to 
the description any boy can prepare it in a 
few hours in such a way that it can be often 
used for home and hall, and will give as 



102 -Vj&'B'' games for FAHLOli AXD LAWX. 

much pleasure in preparation as in perform- 
ance. The pantomime requires an old man, 
an old woman, and a stupid boy — the latter it 
is often easy to find in any family. The old 
parts can be assumed by young people, as they 
can be made venerable by powdering their hair 
with flour. They must borrow their grand- 
father's and grandmother's clothes, if possi- 
ble, but the boy can wear an old dressing- 
gown, and the girl a long skirt trained over 
her own dress, looped up at the sides with 
bows of ribbon ; she should have an old-fash- 
ioned bonnet, or a broad hat tied down to re- 
semble one, a kerchief, and a cajie. The boy 
should borrow a suit of a smaller boy that is 
too short and tight for him, and should brush 
his hair down over his eyes, and wear a paper 
rufile around his neck. The boy who wears 
the dressing-gown or old dress-coat should also 
have a palette, brush, a piece of chalk, and 
some other artistic implements with which to 
decorate the room, which can be very prettily 
arranged, if for a public performance. The 
most conspicuous object is a large blackboard, 
standing on the floor at the rear of the room, 
behind which another boy is concealed, and 



THE WONDERFUt. DRAWING LESSQX. 103 

upon which all the mj'stery depends. The 
artist is discovered walking around the room 
in a nervous manner, as if expecting a pupil. 
A knock is heard, and he admits the lady, 
who salutes him with an old-fashioned bow 
in response to those with which he greets 
her. She leads in the boy by the hand, who 
hangs back, as if very bashful. She puts her 
hand behind the boy's head, and compels him 
to bow to the artist, of whom he seems afraid. 

The mother consoles him, and persuades 
him to look at some pictures which the artist 
shows him. The boy expresses great interest, 
and the artist points to the blackboard, as if 
offering to teach him to draw. The boy seems 
eager to begin, and seizes a piece of chalk 
from the table. The artist takes the chalk 
from him, and pats the palm of his left hand 
with three fingers of his right, to signify that 
he wants some money. The mother pays 
very unwillingly, and the artist keeps de- 
manding more, until she shakes her head very 
forcibly, and points to the board, as if refus- 
ing to pay any more money unless she is sat- 
isfied with her son's progress in art. 

The boy is then furnished with chalk, and 



lOi ^^EW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

the artist holds up a pattern before him, and 
points from it to the board. The boy slowly 
draws the face of a man on the top of the 
board, near the centre. The mother seems 
much pleased, and claps her hands in delight. 
The boy goes on with his work, and finishes 
the body, with the arms extended, and the 
artist then demands more money, which the 
mother refuses ; when the arms which have 
just been drawn move up and down with 
violent gestures, and the mother becomes so 
much alarmed that she pays him, and the 
arms then remain still. The boy goes on 
with his work, and draws the two legs of the 
figure, which is supposed to be facing the 
audience. 

On the completion of the work the mother 
and boy contemplate it with wonder and de- 
light, and the artist renews his demand for 
more mone}^, which the old lady refuses. The 
right leg then kicks out violently, the other 
does the same toward the left; the arms go 
up and down, and the chalk man thus appears 
to be alive, and to be dancing a jig, as the 
movements of the legs and arms increase in 
speed, although they can only swing up and 



THE WOXDERFUL DliAWIXG LESSON. 105 

down on the board. The mother and son 
hold up their hands as if struck with horror, 
and the former nishes out of the room pull- 
ing the boy by the arm. The artist follows, 
demanding more money, and the curtain falls. 

The blackboard is made of any smooth 
board, painted ; the arms and legs of the fig- 
ure are cut out in outline of common paste- 
board, and are fastened to the blackboard by 
a peg, upon which their weight is balanced, 
and upon which they move. The limbs are 
moved by means of bits of black thread at- 
tached to them, and passing through small 
holes in the board to the boy behind it. They 
are fastened on after the board has been 
painted, and the whole is made of a uniform 
dull black with common paint, so it does not 
show when the light is between it and the 
spectators. 

The boy may make the figure of the man 
in any style, taking care only to match it to 
the limbs, the outlines of which he draws on 
the edges of the pasteboard profiles. A little 
practice will enable the performers to arrange 
animals and other figures on the same plan, 
to the deliglit of themselves and their friends. 



106 -ViS-PT GAMEIS FOR FAliLOM AND LAWX. 

THE AUTOMATIC WARBLERS. 

This very laughable performance depends 
much upon the extreme gravity with which 
it is carried out, as none of the performers are 
allowed, on any account, to laugh or even to 
cliange for a moment the expression of their 
faces, which should be as blank and stupid as 
possible, even when singing. 

Five boys or gentlemen are needed, and 
they should be graduated in height, the small- 
est one always leading, the next in height be- 
ing number two, and so on until number five, 
who should be very tall indeed. They must 
also be dressed alike, in black suits, if possi- 
ble, and with large pointed collars and cuffs, 
made of white paper, outside of their coats. 
They must all walk very stiffly, bending the 
body as little as possible and turning corners 
on a pivot, like soldiers. Whenever number 
one coughs, all the otliers also cough in turn, 
and their movements of all sorts must be si- 
multaneous. 

When the curtain rises the audience dis- 
covers nothing but ^yq chairs arranged in a 
straight row across the middle of the stage. 



THE AUTOMATIC WAUBLERS. 107 

facing the front. At last a door opens and a 
head is cautiously thrust out to carefully sur- 
vey the audience, and then withdrawn, and the 
door is shut. It soon opens again, and number 
one walks stiffly around the row of chairs and 
stands in front of the first chair; number two 
goes through precisely the same drill and stands 
in front of his chair; and then number three 
enters and stands before his, and is followed 
in his turn by number four and five ; number 
one then coughs, and is imitated by the others 
in turn, and all seat themselves in precisely 
the same manner and moment, with very stiff 
backs, and their closed right hands resting on 
the right knees, the left hands remaining al- 
ways in the breast of the coat, excepting when 
they draw out their handkerchiefs. 

All being seated, number one rises, advances 
one step, bows, and says: "I come forward to 
make an announcement. You will now have 
the pleasure of listening to a concert by the 
Automatic Warblers, who will execute first 
the pastoral melody of ^Mary had a little 
lamb.'" He then returns, and sits down, 
coughs, and rises, in which he is imitated 
precisely by the others — all of whom ad- 



108 NEW GAMES FOR FARLOU AND LAWX. 

vance one step, left foot foremost, bow ex- 
actly together, and sing the song to any ab- 
surd tune with perfect gravity; and at its 
close all bow, step back, cough, and sit down 
in exact unison. 

Number one then draws out his handker- 
chief, wipes his forehead, coughs, and puts it 
back, after which all go through the same 
movement in precisely the same manner. 
^Number one then advances again, bows, and, 
in the same monotonous manner, says: "I 
come forward to make an announcement. 
This remarkable troupe will now execute a 
melody, in compliance with the wish of the 
fairer portion of the audience — need I say I al- 
lude to the ladies present ? — who desire to hear 
each one of the superb voices of the brethren 
in a solo performance, for which purpose a 
quartette has been arranged, and they will 
now do it." Having returned as before, all 
again cough, and rise as before and sing 
''Bingo," in the refrain of which, as ar- 
ranged in the College song -book of Yale 
(where all these melodies can be found), 
each person sings one letter of the word, 
and all join together in the whole. 



THE AUTOMATIC WARBLERS. 109 

They then return again and sit for a few 
moments, when number five rises, advances, 
bows, walks aronnd the chairs, goes out, slmts 
the door, opens it, looks through, coughs, and 
withdraws. The others imitate his example 
until number one is left alone, who sits awhile, 
advances, bows, and speaks : " I come forward 
to make an announcement. If any of the ladies 
present desire the privilege of taking either 
of the brethren by the hand, an opportunity 
will be afforded them in the anteroom." He 
then bows and goes out, looks in again, and 
finally disappears. The audience are then 
expected to applaud, and each of the per- 
formers looks in again to see if they are want- 
ed, when they all return together, each one 
with his left hand on the shoulder of the pre- 
ceding one, number five leading and number 
one coming last, all keeping exact step, and 
they thus march around to the front of the 
chairs, turning the corners as stifiiy as possi- 
ble, and standing before their chairs a mo- 
ment, then coughing and sitting down to- 
gether. 

Number one then rises and says : " I come 
forward to make an announcement. You 



110 ^'£JW GAMES FOR PABLOR AND LAWN. 

have called us, and therefore we have come. 
As this call was totally unexpected by us we 
have spent an entire afternoon in preparing a 
suitable song for it, and will now sing the 
pathetic history of 'The grasshopper on the 
sweet potato-vine.'" He returns, all cough, 
rise again, bow and sing, after which they 
go back and sit down. 

The leader then rises and says: "I come 
forward to make an announcement. You will 
now have the pleasure of hearing our last 
song, a solo, 'Still so gently from you steal- 
ing.'" Then, arising together from their 
seats, all open their mouths as if singing 
very loud, but only move their lips, uttering 
no sound; then all instantly resume their 
former march and go out, close the door, and 
all look in together. 

A very funny concert of this kind can also 
be performed by the ladies, when dressed in 
black dresses, white aprons, with pointed cuffs 
and high caps. The songs and speeches can 
be changed in a dozen ways, and many even- 
ings' entertainment can thus be furnished 
with no trouble or expense. Its effect in per- 
formance is exceedingly ludicrous, especially 



THE A UTOMA TIC WARBLERS. 1 1 1 

if the laughter wliicli the audience is apt to 
fiirnisli seems likelj to prove too much for 
the gravity of the performers, as their efforts 
to keep an unmoved countenance amuse the 
spectators so much that thej increase their 
efforts to provoke a smile, and often succeed 
in this ; although we have known a company 
of live gentlemen who could go through the 
whole with the most perfect gravity, and look 
as if they were made of wood, in spite of any 
effort to make them lose their self-control. 



112 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOB AND LA.WK 



THE MAGIC CLOCK; 

OK, 

THE REWARD OF INDUSTRY. 

A TRICK PANTOMIME FOR CHILDREN. 

The Farmer, afterward the Miserly King. 

His wife Jane, " the Old Woman with the Broom. 

Polly, " Little Miss Muffit 1 

Mabel, " Cinderella. . . 

^ ^ ,,■»-. r The Farmer's Daughters. 

Margaret, " Bopeep ... 

Isabel, " A Beggar ... J 

Willie, " A Beggar. 

Robin, a servant " the Prince. 

Jack, " the Insatiate Hen ) 

[• The Farmer's Sons. 

Tom, " the fepider . . . ) , 

The Fairy, disguised as a poor old woman. 

One small boy is concealed in the chimney, and another un- 
der the table. 

The clock, fireplace, table, fowl, etc., are fully explained, so 
that they can be easily prepared by children. 

This pantomime can be acted in any room, 
with a simple curtain, or in a large hall. Live- 
ly music adds to the spirit of the performers, 
and enables them to give directions to each 
other without being heard. 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 113 



The farmer's kitchen ; a fireplace at the 
right, with a crane, from which a kettle hangs, 
with great logs, which rest on high brass and- 
irons. A tall, old-fashioned clock-case stands 
against the back wall, nearly in front of which 
is a large table, covered with a white cloth, 
and set for supper. At the left is a small 
table, over which hangs a mirror. Six chairs 
and two stools, a rocking-chair, broom, and 
dishes, are also needed. The farmer sits at 
the right of the fire, counting money from a 
leather bag. His wife sits in the rocking- 
chair, knitting. 

Mabel is employed in brushing the hearth. 
The proud daughter Isabel is trimming a 
showy hat; as she adds new decorations to 
it she contemplates her face in the mirror, 
and tries it on with evident delight, occasion- 
ally walking about the room and appealing 
for admiration. 

Polly is cooking the Christmas supper, and 
often swings forward the long crane, from 
which an iron pot hangs over the fire, add- 
ing a little salt from time to time. The idle 
8 



114 iV^'Tf GAMES FOM PARLOR AND LAWN. 

Margaret reclines in a low chair; her sewing 
Jias fallen from her listless hands, which lie 
idly in her lap, and she seems to be careless 
of all around her. Jack sits by the fire, and 
is constantly eating from the contents of his 
pockets, which are full of nuts, apples, cakes, 
and candy. 

ACTION. 

Willie enters, struts about the room, with a 
profusion of low bows, of which little notice 
is taken by any one but the farmer's wife, 
who shakes his hand, and gives him a cordial 
welcome. She leads him toward Isabel, who 
rises, and makes him a low courtesy, taking 
hold of her dress with both hands, to do 
which slie lays the hat in a chair. Willie 
seems struck with the courtesy, and imitates 
it so clumsily that all laugh. In his confu- 
sion he sits down on the hat, and jumps up 
quickly. Isabel picks up the hat, which is 
crushed flat, and tries in vain to restore it to 
shape ; then claps it on Willie's head, as if to 
try the effect, while he sits in a very stiff at- 
titude in imitation of a milliner's block. 

Robin then enters, rubbing his hands as if 
suffering from the cold ; he ;\])proaclies tlio 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 115 

fire to warm them ; the farmer looks scorn- 
fully at Lira, and motions him away ; he seems 
ashamed, and retreats to the back of the room, 
and sits on a stool beside Willie, who laughs 
and npsets the stool with his foot. Eobin 
sits heavily down upon the floor, and in fall- 
ing hits Willie's foot, who falls forward. Isa- 
bel laughs, but Mabel runs to his aid, forget- 
ting her dusty hands, which cover his coat 
with ashes as he clumsily regains his seat. 

Eobin rises, and nearly sits down upon 
Tom, a small boy, who has picked up the 
stool, and is lying across it. Tom crawls 
away just in time, and tries to wake up Mar- 
garet, tangles his mother's yarn about his feet, 
and seems intent upon mischief. The farm- 
er rises, as if angry at being disturbed ; but 
Mabel goes toward him, as if apologizing for 
the accident, then runs to the door, as a 
knock is heard. A poor old woman enters, 
and asks alms from each, begging money from 
the farmer, who refuses, and points to the 
door, which motion all follow in turn, except 
Eobin and Mabel. Jack pretends to give her 
an apple, which he holds near her lips, but 
withdraws it as she is about to taste, and 



116 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

crains it into his own mouth ; then claps 
)iis hands as if he had done a clever action. 
The old woman next tries to lift the lid oft" 
the kettle, but Pollj resists, and pushes her 
awaj so hastily that she burns her fingers, 
and begins to crj. Mabel and Robin try to 
comfort her, and Mabel takes a cake from 
Jack and hands it to the old ^voman, wlio 
eats it as if she was very hungry. Jack be- 
gins to cry for his cake, and Mabel motions 
that he has plenty more ; but he shakes his 
head and cries again. A great cake then 
comes from the chimney, strikes Jack on the 
head, and fastens around his neck like a gi- 
gantic old - fashioned doughnut with a hole 
through the centre. 

Jack seems much pleased, and tries to taste 
his new collar, but finds it impossible to get 
his teeth into it. The farmer begins to scold 
at the old woman, and lays down his purse 
upon the settle, in order to push her out, 
when the purse flies up the chimney, and 
hangs just out of his reach. He jumps for 
it, and it begins dancing up and down. All 
the rest except Mabel and Eobin chase the 
old woman round the room, led bv the farm- 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 117 

er's wife, who secures a broom, and tries to 
strike her. The old woman rushes from side 
to side, and Mabel opens the clock, into which 
she springs and is concealed in a moment. 
The farmer makes a frantic leap for his mon- 
ey-bag, and knocks over the kettle. Jack and 
Tom jump about violently as if scalded, while 
Mabel picks up the fowl, places it upon the ta- 
ble, and persuades her father to come to sup- 
per. Robin places chairs, and all sit down. 

The clock strikes, and as the farmer turns 
around he sees, instead of the face of the 
clock, that of a pretty little girl with blond 
hair. He calls the attention of the rest of 
his family to this change, but when they look 
the clock-face alone appears. The farmer 
seems very much astonished, and puts on his 
spectacles, when he again beholds the sweet 
face, which disappears as soon as he has called 
the attention of the family. 

They resume their meal. As the farmer 
attempts to cut up the fowl it lifts itself up 
and gives a loud crow. The farmer drops 
his knife in fear and trembling, but is en- 
couraged by Jack, who expresses in pantomime 
that he is very hungry. The farmer makes 



118 jS'EW games for parlor and lawk 

a second attempt, at which the fowl leaps 
from the table and disappears up the chim- 
ney. The farmer and his wife rush out of 
the room in eager haste, followed by all the 
family. 

The clock-case opens and shows a beautiful 
Fairy, who waves her wand in the air five 
times, and transforms the whole family into 
Mother Goose personages. The farmer re- 
turns dressed in a long red robe, with a huge 
crow^n on his head, and personates the King 
w^ho spends all his time counting out his mon- 
ey. This he constantly does, taking it from 
a large bag; and as soon as he has counted 
all the pieces he puts his hand up to his 
crown, trying in vain to lift it off, as if it 
made his head ache ; then he begins again to 
count over and over his tiresome money. 

The farmer's wife comes in next as the Old 
Woman with the Broom. She rushes about, 
raising a great dust, and then jumps up and 
down, brushing the ceiling of the room, as if 
trying to brush the cobwebs from tlie sky. 

Isabel then flaunts into the room, followed 
by Willie, taking long strides, and seeming 
full of vanity, turning their heads from side 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 119 

to side as if lost in admiration of themselves. 
The others all laugli at tlie sight, for they 
have become the Beggars, and are flaunting 
about in rags and tags, v^^hich thej are as 
proud of as if thej were dressed in velvet 
gowns. 

Margaret enters next as little Bopeep, grop- 
ing around in search of her lost sheej) ; she 
sometimes leans upon her crook with her left 
hand, and points off eagerly with her right, 
and finally throws herself into her cliair and 
goes to sleep. 

Polly appears as Little Miss Muffit, eating 
curds and whey from a large bowl which she 
carries in her left hand ; she draws a stool to- 
ward the fireplace and sits down. Tom, as the 
spider, rushes out from under the table and 
sits down beside her, at which Polly drops the 
bowl and spoon in fright. She then rushes 
round the room three times, pursued by the 
spider. 

Jack then enters as the Insatiate Hen who 
eats more victuals than threescore men ; he 
rushes around the room, and seems wholly 
unsatisfied with all he can devour. Mabel 
is changed into Cinderella, and sits by the 



120 ^VAW GAMES FOR PAULO K AND LAWX. 

fire in a dejected attitude, upon which the 
Fairy comes down from the clock, and calls 
her attention to the Prince, Kobin, whose 
rough frock flies away up the chimney, and 
he kneels before her as a Prince in gorgeous 
raiment. Mabel's old robe then disappears in 
the same manner. Robin fits a glass slipper 
upon her foot, which makes her dance with 
delight. He leads her to the upper end of 
the room toward the King, her father, who 
is so overcome by her beauty that he forgets 
his avarice, and bestows the whole of the 
money upon her. 

The happy pair, followed by the King, then 
march around the room to each of the person- 
ages, and the old woman sweeps a path before 
them, as if eager to make their way pleasant 
and easy. The Beggars seem to forget their 
pride, and their ragged dresses fly away up 
the chimney, and they appear neatly clad. 
The Fairy touches the Spider with her wand ; 
lie stands upright, offers his arm to Miss 
Muffit, and they join the procession. 

The Fairy then enters the clock, which 
marches twice around the room, followed by 
all the characters, and^ then resumes its place. 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 121 

Ail join in a grand reel; the King, taking the 
old woman for Lis partner, stands opposite 
Cinderella and the Prince, who take the head 
of the set. The two repentant Beggars take 
one side, with Miss Muffit and the spider op- 
posite. Thej dance all hands round, then the 
first lady promenades around the set outside, 
followed bj her partner, who then joins her, 
and all promenade together around once. The 
ladies then go forward into the centre, and the 
gentlemen turn them into place with their right 
hand, and then turn corners with the left, after 
which they go into the centre again and form 
basket, go once around, divide in front, and 
march forward in the same position. The 
gentlemen raise their hands, and the ladies 
go forward alone; the gentlemen march after 
and turn them into place. The hen then 
wakes Bopcep, and all form a semicircle, 
with the Prince and Cinderella in the cen- 
tre. The clock then advances and takes up 
its position behind them, bowing to each in 
turn. The Fairy springs forward into the cen- 
tre of the group, and after waltzing around 
stops in the centre, and all salute as the cur- 
tain falls. 



122 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 



The farmer has a plain brown suit, over 
which he throws a loose robe of Turkey-red 
cloth, trimmed with ermine. This ermine is 
made of white cotton flannel, with black marks 
drawn upon it with charcoal. He also wears 
a crown made of gilt paper. His monej-bag 
has a black linen thread fastened to the top, 
one end of which is in the hand of the boy 
concealed in the chimney. 

The farmer's wdfe has a plain black dress, 
with white kerchief and a high cap, on which 
a neat front of white tow or yarn is fastened 
in the centre, so that the ends can be pulled 
out quickly when she assumes her second 
part. For this she w^ears a red skirt under 
the black, and ties a long red cloak over her 
shoulders, the cape of which she draws over 
her cap. 

Polly wears a long-sleeved checked apron, 
which covers her next dress. This is made 
of bright cretonne tucked over a gay skirt. 
The waist is long and pointed, with a high 
ruff of w^hite. 

Mabel wears a dark skirt and loose white 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 123 

waist, under Avliicli is a pretty silk dress, with 
long train, and a sqnare-necked waist trimmed 
with wax beads. She changes the black dress 
for a ragged loose robe, and when first trans- 
formed to Cinderella sits in the chimney-cor- 
ner while the thread is hooked on to the robe 
by w^hich it can be drawn up the chimney. 

Margaret has a bright skirt and loose waist 
over her Bopeep dress, which is composed of 
a skirt of blue cambric, with a red waist, the 
flaps of which are cut in squares, which as 
well as the skirt are trimmed with yellow^ 
braid. Under the work which lies in her lap 
is a straw hat trimmed with flowers. 

Isabel may wear the most showy dress wdiich 
can be found. 

Willie has a black dress-coat, which can easi- 
ly be made by sewing tails on a jacket. He 
can have w^hite pantaloons, and ruffles of white 
paper on his shirt, a showy necktie, and white 
hat. Both he and Isabel, for their next dress, 
have long robes, which may be w^ater-proof 
cloaks covered with rags of every color. 

Eobin wears a long farmer's frock over his 
Prince's dress, which may be made of satteen 
for less than one dollar by an ingenious girl. 



12J: NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

It consists of a loose pink bodj, and blue 
trunks, or knee-breeches, with a cape of blue 
from the shoulders, each garment trimmed 
with long points of the opposite color. Pink 
stockings, and lace collar and cuffs, and pink 
and white bows on the shoes, complete the 
costume. He has a small slipper covered 
with glass beads for Cinderella. 

Jack and Tom appear in shabby boy's dress 
at first, and their next dresses are put on over 
them. The hen is made of a long garment 
like a shirt, one half of brown cambric, the 
other half of yellow, and the sleeves of large 
size are sewed up at the ends. It is drawn 
over the boy's head so that the brown part 
covers his back, his feet go into the sleeves, 
and then his hands also, with which he grasps 
his knees. A cap of brown cambric, with a 
red comb, and marked with eyes, is drawn 
over the head and pinned to the robe, and the 
ends are tied in a bunch opposite. 

The spider has a suit of snuff-brown cam- 
bric, the feet and arms of which are sewed up 
like bags ; on his back is fastened a pointed 
stuffed bag, and a false leg cut from brown 
pasteboard is fastened to each side; lie runs 



THE MAGIC CLOCK. 125 

on all fours at first, and shakes his head, which 
is enveloped in a cambric bag ornamented 
with two curved horns, and points of yellow 
cloth are sewed upon the back and around 
the legs. He hides under the table until it 
is time to appear. 

The fairy is dressed in white tarlatan, trim- 
med with tinsel, over which she has a long 
cloak, with a hood, into which white hair is 
sewed. She has a cane, and bends forward. 

PROPERTIES. 

The clock is a frame seven feet high, two 
feet wide, with a door in front, all made of 
thin strips of wood, covered with brown cam- 
bric, dull side out ; the face, painted on paste- 
board, with movable hands, slides up and 
down in a groove, and is kept in place by a 
button at the bottom. A high stool is hidden 
inside, on which the fairy climbs when she 
shows her own face. She has her hand di- 
rectly under the clock's face, so that she can 
push it instantly into place. Straps are ar- 
ranged at the height of the fairy's shoulders, 
by which she can walk forward with the 
clock. There are hinges near the top, so it 



126 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LA¥/N. 

can bow forward, and also a bell which will 
strike. The fireplace is a large box, three 
feet high, with the upper portion taken off. 
Boards, painted a doll red, witli lines repre- 
senting bricks, are slanted from the front 
and sides to the ceiling. Turkey red cloth is 
nailed at the top of the box inside, which is 
drawn tight by the logs which lie on the and- 
irons. The effect of fire is produced by a 
lamp behind the red cloth, and pieces of red 
gelajtine pasted on the logs. 

A small boy, concealed by the chimney, 
holds four threads, to which the articles to be 
drawn up are fastened. The fowl is hooked 
on to the thread by Jack. A real fowl may '~»e 
used, which is elevated by a wire thrust through 
the table by the boy, who also imitates the 
crowing ; or a good chicken can be made of 
paper. Any table will do in which a hole 
can be made ; there must be one also through 
the tin dish. The cake is made of brown 
cambric. The action should be distinctly 
marked, and keep time with the music ; and 
all performers should bow as the curtain 
falls. 



THE COMICAL BROOM-DRILL. 12T 

THE COMICAL BROOM-DRILL. 

Since the fan-dri]l astonished and delight- 
ed the spectators of the great Carnival of 
Authors, man J have been the imitations and 
burlesques upon it, but none have been fun- 
nier than the broom-drill, which has been pre- 
sented in many ways more or less successful. 

As it will be one of the sensations of this 
season, a new and effective formula for its 
production will doubtless be useful, especially 
one based upon the best and most fascinating 
fan-drill ever presented to the public. 

Any number can join, but in most rooms 
ei^ht soldiers and one captain will be suffi- 
cient. All should be as nearly as possible of 
the same height, but if there is much differ- 
ence, the taller should be in the centre, and 
the shorter ones at each end of the line, and 
then be graduated each way to the middle 
one as nearly as possible. 

This order will, of course, make those near- 
est in height march togetlier when they go 
in pairs. For the iirst formation, each one 
should be numbered as they stand in line, as 
above, at first rehearsal, so they may fall into 



128 ^''^W GAMES FOR PAUL OH AND LAWN. 

place in all 'groupings witliout trouble or 
confusion. 

All should be dressed alike in black skirts, 
chintz over-dresses, tucked up high ; white bib- 
aprons, covered with bows of ribbon, and pro- 
vided with two pockets in front ; dark waists, 
with white, puffed, very short sleeves ; very 
high crowned, white muslin caps, trimmed with 
bright ribbon. Each has a bright dust-pan 
strapped around the waist like an ammuni- 
tion-box, and a large red dust-cloth at the left 
side in the belt, so that it may be easily drawn 
out with the right hand. 

This can be very effectively produced with- 
out preparation by persons of some knowl- 
edge of time ; but when exhibited for money, 
at church fairs and sociables, it is well to have 
some practice, as the movements are much 
more pleasing when simultaneous. Several 
rehearsals will be needed until the leader is 
satisfied that all work together promptly and 
smoothl}^ 

The captain must have a good ear for time 
and a quick eye to detect any movement 
which is either too fast or too slow, a sweet 
temper, and marked self-control. 



THE COMICAL BROOM-DRILL. 129 

The soldiers should keep their heads erect, 
their lines straight, and their minds npon the 
orders of their commander. The leader car- 
ries a long feather-duster instead of a broom, 
and is dressed exactly like the rest. The mu- 
sic may be furnished by a pianist or orchestra, 
and any galop or march will answer. 

The captain enters right and stands in cen- 
tre at back ; four ladies enter from each side 
and follow the captain to front, marching in 
pairs. Divide and march in single file to 
back, and then form in one straight line be- 
hind the captain, who marches them to front, 
and then stands six feet from the line facing 
them, directing their movements as follows : 

'^ Present arms!" The brooms are held staff 
uppermost in line with the centre of the 
body, the left hand holding them at the top 
of the brush and the right hand grasping the 
staff one foot higher up, the right arm thus 
being in a line with the waist. 

" Carry arms !" Bring the broom forward 
six inches with the right and drop the left 
hand by the side. 

"Support arms!" Grasp the broom with 
left hand, elevate it, then seize it with right 
9 



130 J^£JW GAMES FOB PAJULOM AND LAWN. 

hand and pass to left side, holding it in posi- 
tion on left shoulder with the brush part just 
below the left arm, which is held across the 
waist, the right hand hanging straight down. 

" Order arms !" Grasp broom with left and 
let go the right hand ; lower it to the floor 
with the right hand and drop the left hand 
to side. 

" Parade rest !" Slant the staff of the broom 
to the waist, where it is grasped by the right 
hand, above which the left hand is closely 
placed, so that both arms are across the body 
at the waist. 

" Right shoulder arms !" Hold broom with 
left hand, pass the right hand under the brush 
and lift to right shoulder, the staff being in- 
clined behind the head at an angle of forty- 
five degrees. 

" Arms port 1" Seize the staff jnst above 
the brush with the right hand, and slant the 
staff across the right shoulder, the right upper 
arm being close to the side, and the left hand 
holding the staff two feet above the brush, 
the left forearm being in front. 

" Reverse arms !" Reverse the broom so 
that the staff points downward, the left arm 



THE COMICAL BROOM-DRILL. 131 

going behind the back and holding the staff 
with left hand, the right arm at the side and 
the right hand grasping the staff just below 
the brush. 

" Rest on arms !" The two crossed hands 
rest on the brush, while the staff of the broom 
stands on the floor close to the left foot, and 
the heads of all the soldiers are slightly 
bowed. 

" Load !" The broom is inclined down- 
ward, the brush being under the right fore- 
arm, the right hand grasping it, and the left 
arm is extended so that the left hand also 
holds the staff. 

" Aim !" The brush is held against the 
shoulder under the right arm ; the left arm 
curved and the left hand supporting the 
staff. The left eye is closed, and the right 
eye glances along the staff. 

" Kneel and aim !" All sink upon the left 
knee in same position as the last, and rest 
the right elbow on the right knee. 

"' Rise !" All assume standing position, the 
broom resting on the floor. 

" Sweep !" All advance and sweep togeth- 
er in line in front. 



132 ^EW GAMES FOE PAUL OB AND LAWK 

"By fours, sweep !'' Tliej divide in centre 
and sweep across stage in fours. 

" Single file, sweep !" All march once 
around sweeping. 

" Forward in line, charge !" All form line 
at back and advance rapidly with brooms held 
staff down, as if striking from tlie shoulder. 

" Forward by fours, charge !" They divide 
in centre and attack each other across stage. 

"Triumph!" All form line, draw dust- 
cloths from belt and wave them above their 
heads, as if exulting ; march to front, divide, 
march off in two single lines to back, then 
meet forward in line to front, divide again, 
cross at back, salute each other, then all salute 
audience and retire. 



THE WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS-TREE. 

There was once an old church which look- 
ed new and tasteful on the outside as well as 
in the interior. ]^o one would suspect from 
an ordinary view that its frame was nearly 
two hundred years old, until he had climbed 
the belfry stairs and walked out under the 



THE WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS-TREE, 133 

roof into the upper storj, where great, rongli- 
hewn beams plainly showed that they were 
cut from the primeval forests by the rude im- 
plements of old. That the spirit of cherish- 
ing old ideas, while ever reaching forward for 
new ones, was active in the present as well 
as in the past, was shown by the woj'shippers 
by the Ohristmas-tree with which they delight- 
ed the old and young children of the parish. 

The crowded assemblage which filled the 
church beheld, on a high platform above the 
pulpit, an enormous tree loaded with presents 
which resembled much those to which it had 
yearly been accustomed. 

Great was the surprise, however, when the 
people saw a glittering star slowly rise above 
it and gleam alternately in white and red 
rays. Soon the organ pealed out triumphant 
music, and the great tree slowly opened in the 
centre, and disclosed a beautiful boy, dressed 
in pure white, holding in his right hand a 
spray of lilies and in his left a dove. In a 
moment he seemed enveloped in a cloud of 
golden light, which changed to red and blue, 
and afterward shone in clear white, as the 
tree slowly closed. 



134 N'EW GAMES FOE PAELOR AND LAWN. 

This beautiful effect was produced several 
times, with many changes of color and em- 
blems, and young and bid were alike aston- 
ished at the marvellous feat. In fact, the 
children seemed so spellbound by the beau- 
tiful exhibition, that they restrained their im- 
patience and seemed willing to wait for their 
presents, rather than have the wonderful tree 
despoiled of its ornaments. 

Like most good things this remarkable tree 
was very simple in construction, and this ex- 
planation will enable young people to arrange 
it YQYj easily for themselves. 

Instead of one tree there were really two 
large trees, the inner side of each hewn off, 
so they could stand close together; a third 
tree, also flattened in the front part of its 
trunk, was set up behind them; and a little 
platform fastened among the branches, on 
which the boy stood. 

The back tree was stationary, but the two 
front ones were each firmly set into timbers 
which crossed each other under the platform 
in the form of the letter X, which beams 
were made to move on a strong pin in the 
centre of the X. The two trees were each 



THE WONDERFUL CHEISTMAS-TREE. 135 

fastened to tlie front ends of the X, which 
could be opened and shut like a pair of scis- 
sors by a person at the extremity of the X, 
holding one end of each beam in each of his 
hands. 

These crossed beams, being opened and shut 
under the platform, of course caused the trees 
to open and shut in similar motion, which 
produced the exact appearance of one tree 
slowly unfolding. 

A white sheet concealed another platform, 
behind the third or stationary tree, upon which 
the person stood who burnt colored fire of 
different hues. The revolving star was drawn 
up by the last named person, upon a twisted 
string, over a small pulley at the top of the 
tree. 

This star was covered in front with red 
and behind with white gelatine, and was 
lighted by a candle in the centre, so that the 
colors were alternately shown, as the string 
made it revolve. 

As the person who opened and shut the 
tree w^as obliged to work under the platform, 
the front of it was concealed by a green cur- 
tain, covered with moss, vines, and boughs, 



136 ^^W GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

which added also to the beauty of the whole 
scene. 

The readers of this description can thus 
very easily produce this startling effect, which 
will well repay them for the trouble, and will 
also give them as much pleasure in the prepa- 
ration as it will furnish delight to the specta- 
tors, who cannot fail to be struck with aston- 
ishment when they first behold the wonder- 
ful Christmas-tree. 



DEPARTED DREAMS. 

AN ILLUSTRATED RECITATION FOR SUNDAY AND HIGH 
SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS. 

A very old man reclines at the right in a large easy-chair. 
Behind him, on a high box, covered with blue cambric, an 
Angel stands, pointing to a large mirror opposite. As their 
names are mentioned figures aj/pear in the mirror, one by 
one, and gaze wpon tJie old man. Whe7i the recitation rela- 
tive to each is finisJied that one disappears, and is followed 
by the next, in the manner described in the note. 

RECITATION. 

I GAZE upon life's magic glass and see them fade 

away, 
The treasured dreams of early hopes, too beautiful 

to stay. 



DEPARTED DREAMS. 137 

And Youth's bright angel points them out before 

my failing sight, 
As one by one they come and go in changing lustre 

bright. 

(Peace appears.) 

First gentle Peace, with dove-like eyes, a spotless 

lily bears ; 
The first, alas ! to fade away before life's heavy 

cares. [Exit. 

(Harmony wjypears.) 

Next HARMONy, with tuneful lyre, her inspiration 
brings ; 

But, all too soon, the music dies upon the trem- 
bling strings. [Exit. 

(Wealth appears.) 

Then golden Wealth, with lavish hands, her shin- 
ing treasure flings ; 

But riches soon the grasp elude with ever floating 
wings. [Exit. 

(Pleasure appears.) 

Illusive Pleasure brings no charm to age bowed 

down by care, 
But yields at once her shining mask for one of 

dark despair. [Exit. 



138 ^JSW GAMES FOR PAUL OR AND LAWN. 

(Hope appears.) 

Hope, ever young, with roses crowned, sustains the 

fainting heart ; 
But, long deferred, it faints and dies, and last of all 

departs. [Exit. 

(Faith appears.) 

Immortal Faith alone survives the wreck of earthly 

things. 
And bears the sinking spirit up on her eternal 

wings. [Exit. 

After all have appeared in the mirror the curtain falls. In 
the next scene they all surround the old man, who kneels in 
the centre Jwlding up his outstretched arms toward Faith, 
who still remains in the place and position in which she first 



COSTUMES. 

The Angel : Loose, white drapery, as described below ; large, 

white wings. 
The Old Man : Ijong, black cloak or cambric robe, very long 

beard, and hair falling over his shoidders. 
Peace : Flowing drapery, a lily in Jier right hand arid a dove 

in her left. She should have long light or brown hair, and 

brown eyes. 
Harmony : WJiite dress, the front covered with gold ornaments. 

She leans upon a golden harp. 
Wealth : Rich silk dress, covered with shilling ornaments ; an 

abundance of jewellery, and a crown of gilt coins. She holds 

a casket in her left Iiand, and a huge bunch of gilt chains 



DEPARTED DREAMS. 139 

and jewels in her right ^ which she seems to be scattering. The 
gems can be cut from colored gelatine paper, which is very 
inexpensive and showy. She should be tall and dark. 

Pleasure : Rich dress, with drapery of pink and white tarla- 
tan. Her hair, which should be light and abundant, is trim- 
med with grape-leaves, and she holds a bunch of grapes raised 
to her lips. 

Hope : A young girl, who xoears a white dress, covered with 
paper roses, omd a wreath of the same. SJie leans upon an 
anchor. 

Faith: A tall, handsome blonde, in f owing white drapery, 
leaning upon a gilt cross, which is seven feet high and six 
incites in width. 

The drapery referred to in costumes of all allegorical char- 
acters can be most effectively arranged by taking a strip 
of unbleached muslin, very sheer and coarse (usually called 
strainer cloth), twenty-five inches wide, and long enough to 
be draped from the neck to the feet, or half a yard lon- 
ger. This is shirred at the top on a string and put on in 
front. A drapery a yard longer than the first is put on 
at the back, and they are then sewed at the shoulders. A 
piece of the same width is tied under the arm on each 
side and the widths sewed together, up and down. A most 
graceful costume can thus be made in fifteen minutes at 
a cost of sixty cents. A piece of cord around the waist 
can be used to keep the folds in place, some of which 
can be thrown over it in front, to make the dress long 
or short, as desired. 



Note. — For a parlor or vestry performance make a frame 
of rough board ten inches wide, size of frame to be five feet 



140 NEW GAMES FOB PAMLOR AND LAWK 

wide and six feet high inside. At the bottom of this frame 
a shelf is placed, underneath which a rough imitation of a 
grate or fireplace is made of pasteboard ; behind the grate a 
piece of Turkey-red cloth is drawn, and a candle placed be- 
hind the cloth will give a very good imitation of a flickering 
fire. The mirror may be covered with a thin, black tarlatan, 
if the spectators are to be near it ; and it must have a black 
or green cambric curtain stretched behind it. 



MARY'S LAMB. 

A BALLAD IN ACTION. 

FOR LITTLE FOLKS, 

"Mary had a little lamb." 

Mary : A girl about twelve years old ; long, blue bodice, red 

skirt, rustic hat. 
The Lamb can be found at any toy-sliop, arranged to bleat when 

the head is touched; or a boy can be dressed in a white cloak, 

covered with cotto7i wool, with a mask, which can easily be 

hired or made of pasteboard. 
The Teacher : Very tight dress-coat, small-clothes, high collar^ 

with cravat, white wig, and spectacles. 
The Scholars : Boys and girls of all sizes, the tallest boys with 

very small jackets and short pantaloons, tlu girls with long 

aprons or any absurd dress. 
Slate-pencil, long benches, chairs, desk, books, white cotton for 

snow. 
21ie tune can be found in Yale College song-books. 



MAET'S LAMB. 141 

Scene I. 
Mary enters, followed closely by the Lamb, which has a collar 
round its neck, with a string attached, by which she draws it 
after her. Mary sings : 

Mary had a little lamb, 
A little lamb, a little lamb ; 
Mary had a little lamb ; 

Its fleece was white as snow. 

She stoops down and picks up a handful of snow from the. 
ground and compares the color of it with the Lamb's wool, 
and seems pleased that it matches so well. She then repeats 
the same words, and the Lamb utters ''^Baa /" at the end of 
each verse. She walks rapidly around, drawing the Lamb 
closely after her, and sings : 

And everywhere that Mary went, 
That Mary went, that Mary went, 
And everywhere that Mary went 
The lamb was sure to go. 

She then sings once more all the words given above, and goes 
out. 

Scene II. 

The school-room ; the Master at his desk, in the centre, and the 
children on benches and seats before him ; one boy stands on 
his desk, wearing a high fooVs cap on his head. The Schol- 
ars imitate exactly the motions of the Master — rise up and sit 
down exactly as he does, aiid smile or look sad according to 



142 J^-EW GAMES FOE PARLOR AND LAWN. 

the expression of his face. He finally yawns, and is closely 
imitated hy his pupils, and all shut their eyes and doze for a 
moment. The Teacher then wakes, strikes the desk with a 
ruler, atid all start up. He then calls out the first cla^s in 
spelling. Six hoys and two girls come forward and stand 
sheepishly before him, the girls at the head of the class. He 
calls on them to spell ^^ Fuzzle,^^ and all try in vain; he then 
instructs them in the exact way children were taught to spell 
sixty years ago — as follows : 

" P, u by itself, izzard, puz, izzard, 1, e, zel, puzzle." 

They repeat this several times, until they are interrupted by the 
entrance o/Mary, who takes her place in the line, closely fol- 
lowed by the Lamb. Mary then sings as follows : 

Mary had a little lamb, 
A little lamb, a little lamb ; 
Mary had a little lamb ; 

Its fleece was white as snow. 

And everywhere that Mary went, 
That Mary went, that Mary went, 
And everywhere that Mary went 
The lamb was sure to go. 

Children sing: 

He followed her to school one day, 
To school one day, to school one day ; 
He followed her to school one day, 
Which was against the rule. 



MAHY'S LAMB. 143 

Teacher sinffs : 

It raade the children laugh and shout 
Laugh and shout, laugh and shout ; 
It made the children laugh and shout, 
To see a lamb at school. 

Every time the Teacher sings the word " laugh " the Scholars 
all laugh together, and evei'y time he sings " shout " they all 
shout in unuon. The Teacher then sitigs : 

And so the teacher turned him out. 
Turned him out, turned him out ; 
And so the teacher turned him out, 
For 'twas against the rule. 

As he sings this the Teacher tries to push the Lamb out of the 
door, hut whenever the Teacher pushes him out of the door 
he turns round and comes hack, always giving utterance to a 
'"''BaaP'' at the end of the strain. To carry this out tJie 
Teacher />?f^s his foot into a loop of very small black cord, 
which is attached to the foot of tJie Lamb, when a t<yy one is 
used, and also pats the head of the animal to make it Meat 
at the proper time. Wlien the Lamb is at last expelled 
Mary hegins to cry, and the Scholars sing : 

What makes the lamb love Mary so ? 
Love Mary so, love Mary so ? 
What makes the lamb love Mary so ? 
The eager children cry. 



IM iV^TF OAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

Teacher sings : 

Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know, 
The lamb, you know, the lamb, you know ; 
For Mary loves the lamb, you know, 
Is all I can reply. 

The door here opens^ and the Lamb is pushed in. Mary runs 
eagerly toward it and kneels beside it, with its head in her 
arms, and the Scholars sing as before : 

What makes the lamb love Mary so ? 
Love Mary so, love Mary so ? 
What makes the lamb love Mary so ? 
The eager children cry. 

Teacher sings : 

Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know, 
The lamb, you know, the lamb, you know ; 
For Mary loves the lamb, you know, 
Is all I can reply. 



THE BROWNIES. 145 



THE BROWNIES, 

AN OPERATIC PANTOMIME, IN THREE SCENES. 

CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES. 

The Elfin King: Crown^ hrown-camhric suit, covered with 
silver-paper scales. 

Two Elves: Tigld -fitting brown-<;ambric suits, with long, 
pointed hoods, trimmed with red; skull-caps, with short horns. 

Six to Twenty Brownies : Children with flying hair, broion 
waists, skirts of bright tarlatan mvslin, trimmed with gold- 
paper; gauze wings, fastened wUh elastic over the shoulders. 

The Farmer : Ari old brown suit. 

Dame Virago : Black dress, high cap, white kerchief. 

Four Daughters, Polly, Judy, Sally, and Ruby : Black bod- 
ice, bright skirts, long aprons. Sally and Ruby afterward 
wear showy chintz dresses, with long trains; hats and gloves. 

Rose : A pretty girl in plain print gown. 

Articles needed: Foiir chairs, one arm-chair for Dame; 
table, with ironing-sheet and apparatus for ironing; three 
wash-tubs, on a long bench; two pans, churn, three baskets, 
broom, pail, mop, hammer and nails, stove or fireplace, ashes, 
pipe, and neiospaper. The churn has a false bottom two feet 
above the real one ; and wJien the Dame takes off the cover a 
spiral spring lifts an enormous artificial buttei'cup. If pro- 
duced without scenery, the floor may be covered with green 
and the walls with blue cambric, dull side out, on which 
clouds can be drawn with chalk. The stump is made of a 

10 



146 ^'^W GAMES FOE PABLOB AND LAWN. 

barrel cut downward, fitted inside with steps or boxes, so that 
the King can sp-ing up very quickly, and draped with some 
brown-olive material. A few mosses or lichens attached 
heiyhten the effect. 

Scene 1. — The brownies lie in a circle, the 
head of each resting on the waist of the next ; 
the dresses being of alternate colors, the effect 
is like a wreath of flowers, complete in front, 
as the part where the feet of two children 
meet is at the rear, and hidden bj the stump 
from which the king emei'ges. Soft music is 
played, and two elves come dancing in from 
opposite sides of the stage. Thej leap over 
into the ring lightly, then point to the sleep- 
ing brownies, laugh, and skip out again, only 
to return, each bearing a long cat-tail, with 
which, as they lightly dance about, they touch 
the sleepers, who rise one by one, beginning 
at the rear ends of the ring, yawn, rub their 
eyes, and each taking the next as a partner, 
waltz around the room twice, stopping in the 
places they occupied in the ring, thus form- 
ing a circle facing inward. The King of the 
brownies springs up through the stump (stand- 
ing on a strip of board nailed across the front 
of it). The brownies and elves kneel before 



THE BROWNIES. 147 

him ; and tlie first elf, rising, bows low, and 
sajs, or sings to any suitable tune : 

FIRST ELF. 

Busy little brownie dears, 
Listen with your sharpest ears ; 
Give attention, all and each. 
To his majesty's stump speech. 

brownies' chorus. 
King of the deepest forest shade, 
Your lightest wish shall be obeyed ; 
With knowing brains and willing hands 
We strive to do your wise commands. 



I have some work for you to-night — 
A cruel wrong for you to right. 
I want your kind and hasteful aid 
For a poor, tired, hungry maid, 
Who came, its shelter to implore. 
To an old miser's cruel door. 
He, with his daughters and his wife. 
Lives in mean penury and strife. 
'Mid constant toil and frequent blows 
The maid no peace nor comfort knows. 
She needs your help her tasks to do. 
Mischievous elves, I leave to you 



148 A^'UW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

Her hard oppressors to repay 
With merry pranks, until they stay 
Their cruel hands and treat her well. 
Now leave our green and peaceful dell, 
And follow swift on noiseless wing 
The eager flight of your vexed King. 

All dance out after the King. 

( Curtain. ) 

Scene 2. — The farmer's kitchen. Three 
wash-tubs stand on a bench in the centre, 
near which is a clothes-basket ; a large churn 
stands near a table, with irons at the right ; a 
broom leans against the wall at the back, and 
a mop and pail stand near it. Judy and Polly 
are washing at two of the tubs, Rose at the cen- 
tre one. Sally is churning. The old farmer 
sits at the left, with a pipe in his mouth, read- 
ing a newspaper. The three daughters work 
slowly, often stopping; and when Rose is 
wringing a garment and turns to drop it in 
the clothes-basket they toss the clothes from 
th^ir tubs into hers. Ruby enters and perches 
on the table, reading the newspaper over her 
father's shoulder. Dame Yirago comes in to 
inspect the work, and all begin to work busily. 



THE BROWNIEIS. 149 

except Rose, who continues steadily as before. 
Ruby springs from the table, which upsets, 
and the iron falls on her father's toe. He 
jumps up angrily and pursues Ruby, who 
darts behind her mother, against whom the 
old gentleman runs with such force that she 
sits down in the clothes-basket. Ruby and 
Sally lift her up and point to Rose, as if all 
were her fault. The dame shakes her vio- 
lently, and she sobs ; the other girls laugh, 
and begin to work again, as if the most in- 
dustrious girls in the world. The dame sits 
down at the right, with her back to them, 
when they loiter again, except Rose, who con- 
tinues patiently as before. Here the clock 
strikes nine, and all work is dropped, and 
every one yawns and prepares to leave the 
room, except Rose. The dame leads Rose to 
the ironing-table, churn, and tubs, and with 
violent gestures directs her to finish all the 
work. All leave the room except Rose. Pres- 
ently Ruby and ^2t\\y return in trained dresses, 
gloves, and hats. Taking minuet steps across 
the room to show that they are going to a ball, 
they dance out again. 

Rose works busily; at last seems very tired, 



150 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

looks wearily at her task, begins to sob, and 
sits down, her face buried in her apron. At 

last she sleeps. 

{Curtain.) 

Scene 3. — Same interior. The clock strikes 
twelve. From two of the tubs a little elf pops 
lip, finger on lip, as if fearful of awakening 
Rose. From the clothes-basket a brownie 
lifts its head ; two more appear from under 
the table, another peeps from behind the 
churn. From the centre tub rises the King, 
waving his wand. There is soft, hidden violin 
music, which the elves seem to produce by 
sawing their arms with cat-tail bows, while 
the brownies in a ring dance noiselessly 
around the sleeping Rose. 

At a signal from their King the busy little 
brownies mount on chairs, and work away at 
the tubs and churn and ironing-table with all 
their might, and make tidy the room. Two 
very little ones seize the mop and broom, 
while the mischievous elves eagerly look 
about for a chance to play some merry trick 
on the mean and lazy mortals who have op- 
pressed poor Rose. One finds the farmer's 
shoes and proceeds to nail them to the floor 



THE BROWNIES. 151 

and fill them with water; and the other re- 
moves the cushion from the dame's chair and 
puts a pan of flour in its place. 

Soon Ruby and Sally return from their 
party, and not seeing the hiding brownies, 
pause at the fireplace to warm, and then 
walk about to admire each other's fine 
clothes. A brownie follows each, imitates 
her airs and graces, holding its little skirts 
and glancing over its shoulder at its train, 
which it has made by pinning a sheet about 
its slender waist. Ruby and Sally at last dis- 
cover Rose asleep, and proceed to give her "a 
good shaking." She kneels before them, beg- 
ging mercy. The elves here throw sheets over 
the heads of the farmer's daughters, and then 
tie them fast in chairs, the girls calling and 
struggling, with much noise. Rose looks into 
the churn, clasps her hands in delight that 
the butter has come, and looks around with 
joy on her completed tasks. The farmer and 
dame here enter with candles, as if in answer 
to the noise, and look surprised that all the 
work is done. As the dame takes off the 
cover of the churn and tips it to examine the 
butter she starts back and Jiolds up her hands 



152 NEW GAMES FOB PABLOB AND LAWK 

in wonder as a buttercup slowly grows up out 
of the churn, and rising high makes a bow to 
her, and nods its head as if in derision. 

The dame is so frightened that she falls 
back and sits down in the pan of flour, w^hile 
the old farmer vainly tries to struggle into his 
nailed-down shoes. They grow more terrified 
as they observe the sheeted figures in the 
chairs. 

Polly and Judy come running in and stand 
in amazement, one on the right by the dame 
and the other on the left by the farmer. In 
their fright they all helplessly extend their 
hands to Hose and seem imploring her for- 
giveness. She smiles upon them, assists the 
farmer's wife to rise, brushes her dress, brings 
the farmer some dry slippers, then kindly re- 
leases Ruby and Sally from confinement. 

The brownies and elves now emerge from 
their hiding-places and become visible to Eose. 
She throws each of them a grateful kiss as 
they form in a semicircle about her and sing : 

Creatures of avarice and greed ! 
Sweet maid, you nevermore shall need 
Our help, for all shall treat you well ; 
For they have felt the brownies' spell, 



THE BROWNIES. 153 

Which with its strong and subtle power 

Is ever near at midnight hour, 

To blight the crops, to milk the kine, 

And in the corn-field loose the swine ; 

To stern forbid the cream to rise, 

To spoil the crust upon the pies, 

To rob the yeast of lifting power, 

To turn beer flat, and bread turn sour — ■ 

In any house where toil and teai's, 

And scanty meals, and blows and fears 

Are meted out to be the share 

Of little bondmaids, true and fair. 

Good-night, good-night! You ne'er need call : 

We always hear when tear-drops fall ! 

We leave you happy nights and days, 

And gayly go our joyous ways. 

The dawn-light strikes the night's deep shade. 

Good-night, good-night, dear little maid ! 

They circle around slowly, then faster, and 
stop and form tableau as follows: the farmer 
and dame at the right, their daughters at the 
left ; Rose in the centre, with the King of the 
brownies above her, one of the elves in each 
tub, and all the brownies in semicircle in 
front. All unite in singing the last six lines 
above as a final chorus, as the curtain falls. 



154 NEW GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWN 



DIRECTIONS FOR A MOTHER GOOSE PARTY. 

]^o better way can be found of spending 
an evening than by giving ourselves up to 
the gentle sway of Old Mother Goose, the 
tender nurse of our childhood and delight of 
our riper years. It entertains young and old 
alike to behold in living reality the famous 
persons which her magic pen have made so 
familiar to the imagination. We propose, 
therefore, to give plain directions for pre- 
paring one of these parties, which have been 
a very successful means of raising large sums 
for charity under the management of the 
writer, and to describe the costumes and ap- 
pointments, of the simplest nature, so that any 
child can easily choose from them characters 
enough to make up a charming little group 
for home amusement, which can be dressed, 
at an hour's notice, from the wardrobe of an 
old-fashioned garret. When the affair is in- 
tended to interest a whole village, the man- 



A MOTHER GOOSE PARTY 155 

agers of the charity fund which it is to benelit 
must choose a committee of two or more en- 
ergetic ladies, whose duty it is to canvass the 
neighborhood, to secure as many participants 
as possible, and to keep a list of the parts, in 
order that no two should have the same, which 
would mar the effect. They should also ad- 
vise each one how to prepare the dress; and 
for their aid we give hints which they may 
find useful. The selection of a lady for Moth- 
er Goose must be made w^ith judgment, for 
the success of the evening depends very much 
upon her quickness of wit. 

The spectators should be allowed to enter 
the hall first, and to take their seats on benches, 
which may be arranged in two or more rows 
completely around the room. When all are 
seated the doors are again thrown open, and 
the herald, "Little Boy Blue," blows a loud 
note upon his horn, and announces that " the 
great Mother Goose is about to hold her grand 
reception of all the children of fairy lore, upon 
which occasion she will be supported by her 
numerous family and talented suite." The 
grand entree of the performers then takes 
place, who have assembled in an adjoining 



156 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

room, and the regular and well-known mem- 
bers of Mother Goose's large family march 
around the hall twice, finally stopping at the 
lower end of the hall, where they form a 
group about their famous head. Soon the 
doors, which had been closed behind this 
family, are again thrown open, and another 
march follows, composed of the guests pres- 
ent on the occasion, who, with much state and 
ceremony, are presented in turn to Mother 
Goose. During both the processions Little 
Boy Blue, who has stationed himself on a step- 
ladder, covered with hay at the centre, blows 
his trumpet, and announces each member of 
the company as he passes the haystack. To 
render these announcements plain, the persons 
in the march should keep at least four feet 
apart, and the name of each one must be 
spoken very distinctly. 

The music for the march must be furnished 
by the " fiddlers three " who attend upon Old 
King Cole. They are dressed in old-fashioned 
uniforms, which can be made by trimming 
their coats with red, white, and blue flannel, 
and wear paper hats and plumes. They should 
vary as much in size as possible ; and, if they 



A MOTHER GOOSE PARTY. 157 

do not happen to be musicians, can pretend to 
play on the fiddles, and leave the harmony to 
a hired orchestra. King Cole is black, and 
wears a long robe of Turkey-red cloth, trim- 
med with ermine, made of cotton flannel, ink- 
ed in spots ; he has a gilt-paper crown on his 
head, and bears a huge bowl in one hand and 
a long pipe in the other. He marches next 
to Mother Goose herself, who wears a black, 
short, quilted skirt, red over-skirt, tucked very 
close around her, long red waist laced with yel- 
low braid in front, and a sugar-loaf hat, made 
by sewing a paper tunnel on to a turban, and 
crossing it with Turkey-red; she carries a cane 
with a handle across the top. She is attended 
by six lovely girls, the blondes dressed in white, 
and the darker ones in bright-colored dresses, 
all with crimped hair and wreaths of flowers, 
and are under the management of "Mary," 
who seems " quite contrary," a beautiful girl, 
in a handsome silk dress. 

Lovely Little Bo-peep next comes tripping 
along, a crook in hand, with short, bright dress, 
rustic hat, with bright bows on her muslin 
apron, and dainty slippers. A family of hun- 
gry boys follow, one very fleshy one carrying 



158 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

the iron pot steaming with the flavor of soup ; 
the next, yawning, bears a candle; and the 
third saunters lazily along, with his hands in 
his pockets. 

Next, half a dozen children draw a huge 
shoe, made of black cambric, mounted on the 
wheels of a baby-carriage, in which a very lit- 
tle girl is seated, dressed in black, with high 
cap, kerchief, and powdered hair. Every availa- 
ble spot in the shoe is crowded with dolls, which 
are also fastened everywhere on the outside of 
the carriage. These dolls are sold by the Lit- 
tle Old Woman for the benefit of the cause. 

The beggars next appear, clad in every va- 
riety of costume that can be gathered from 
the attic, some dressed very poorly, and some 
very richly, as if they had seen better days. 
Simple Simon, with his short-sleeved jacket 
and huge paper ruffle, with pantaloons of 
striped calico, reaching only to his ankles, is 
attended by the Cautious Pieman, in his white 
cap and apron. Tom the Piper's Son runs 
after them, bearing a pig made of cloth, which 
squeals vigorously, notwithstanding it is stuffed 
with hay. Jack Sprat comes next, struggling 
for the platter with his devoted wife ; one of 



A MOTHER GOOSE PARTY. 159 

this group should be tall, the other as short 
and fat as possible, and may wear any gro- 
tesque dress to be had, the wife in showy 
calico, high comb, and long apron ; the loving 
husband in a dress-coat, with high collar, plaid 
waistcoat, and yellow breeches. The Old Wom- 
an, with rings on her fingers, long shoes with 
sleigh-bells fastened on the toes, wears a very 
showy silk dress, and is escorted by a gentle- 
man who rides a hobby-horse, made by cover- 
ing a wire frame — made in rough imitation of 
a horse's body — with a bright blanket reach- 
ing to the ground, concealing the man's legs, 
which are represented by a pair of stuffed 
stockings, which hang over the saddle-cloth. 

Jack Horner, in striped jacket and pants, 
next bears a huge pie, from which he often 
draws a plum. The Knave of Hearts comes 
next, bearing all over his dress playing-cards 
sewed as closely as possible. The King counts 
his money in a robe of purple calico trimmed 
with gilt-paper figures. The Queen, in vel- 
veteen and ermine, eats her bread and honey 
greedily ; and the Maid follows, in working 
dress, holding her nose in place. Peter 
Piper, with streaming eyes, bends above his 



160 NBW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

peck of pickled peppers, dressed in a farm- 
er's frock and broad straw hat ; while Bobby 
Shaftoe rolls by his side with a nautical roll, 
a tarpaulin hat upon his yellow curls, and a 
neat sailor's outfit of blue shirt and white 
trousers. The Old Woman who w^ent up 
on her Broom wears a striped petticoat, 
chintz over-dress, red cloak, with hood. She 
holds the broom, and looks eagerly up. A 
very large man, dressed in brown coat and 
knee-breeches, holds a very small wooden 
gun in a martial manner. Miss Muffit walks 
timidly by his side; she is dressed in silk, 
with powdered hair, trimmed with feathers. 
The Three Wise Men of Gotham, in black, 
long robes, and flowing white beards, marcli 
slowly along, one with telescope, the next 
laden with books, and the third bearing a 
huge punch-bowl. Jack and Jill, in pretty 
rustic costumes, bearing a pail between them, 
bring up the rear. 

The visitors may be as numerous as desired, 
being gathered from the realm of fairy-land. 
By all means take those which are well- 
known to childish readers. Mother Hub- 
bard, in flounced skirt and black over-dress, 



A MOTHER GOOSE PARTY. 161 

with high cap, leading her dog; Whitting- 
ton, ill gorgeous velvet robes, bearing his 
cat ; the Sleeping Beauty, a beautiful maid- 
en, in white satin, escorted bj her prince, 
looking fresh after her long nap; the Fair 
One with Golden Locks, a golden -liaired 
blonde, dressed in white muslin ; Jack tlie 
Giant-killer, with sword, shield, and glitter- 
ing armor; Cinderella, in brown skirt and 
white waist, her Proud Sisters in brocade or 
velvet; gentle Beauty, leading her captive 
Beast, in his rough dress of fur and hideous 
mask; Puss in Boots, with tight gray suit, 
high red boots, and cat mask ; Robinson Cru- 
soe, in his robe of skins, and huge umbrella, 
followed by his faithful Friday, in like attire; 
Sindbad,in sailor dress, bearing the Old Man 
upon his back ; the giant Blunderbore, made 
by one man mounted on the shoulders of a 
very tall companion, the upper one wearing 
a long cloak, and the under one a very long 
pair of pantaloons; next, Mary leads her lamb, 
both seeming mucli afraid of the Giant. 

Bluebeard follows, with loose yellow trou- 
sers, full red robe, and yellow tiirban, with 
flowing beard, made from a blue yarn stock- 
U 



162 A'^PT GAMES FOB PABLOR AND LAWK 

ing, with Fatima leaning on his arm. All 
march around the hall several times after 
tliej have been announced and presented, 
and then dancing goes on until ten o'clock, 
when supper is announced by the Greedy 
Boy. After supper all unite again in danc- 
ing, and at the end of the party form a group, 
with Mother Goose in the centre, and each 
one acts his part as well as he can. The 
music plays slowly, then quickens to very 
fast, and the actors in their movements keep 
time, until, tired out with fun and laughter, 
the guests retire, bidding a glad good-night to 
the Mother Goose party. 



ORIENTAL TABLEAUX. 

Hagae in the Desert : Scene 1. — Hagar, in 
Oriental costume, sits on a box covered with 
gray cloth. She supports the head of Ishmael, 
who lies beside her ; an empty vase of water 
stands at her right hand, and she is wringing 
her hands in agony. Scene 2. — An angel bends 
over her in pity, and points upward. Scene 3. 
— Hagar is in prayer, and the angel stands 



ORIENTAL TABLEAUX. 163 

above her, witli hands extended in blessing. 
The angel wears a long, plain muslin robe, and 
large wings, made bj stretching tarlatan over 
wire frames ; the boy, a loose robe, sliowing 
his bare arms, knees, and neck. (For the dress 
of Hagar and other Oriental characters see the 
note on page 167.) 

The Song of Mieiam. — Nine dark -eyed 
maidens, in the richest Oriental dresses, com- 
pose this beautiful scene, arranged in pairs 
according to their heights, the taller ones at 
the back of the stage, and the shorter couples 
in front. Midway in this procession Miriam 
stands, with uplifted cymbal, as if dancing 
forward with religious rapture. Every maid- 
en has a musical instrument, and is in the act 
of playing. Horns, harps, triangles, trumpets, 
cymbals, and tambourines are easily made from 
pasteboard or tin, covered with gilt paper. All 
must seem to be springing forward with great 
animation and spirit, and all the variety pos- 
sible must be made in the color of the dress 
and turbans. 

Judith and Holofeenes : Scene 1. — A large, 
dark man, with heavy, black beard, lies asleep 
on a bed made on two tables, each three feet 



164 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

long, covered with ricli draperj of cashmere 
shawls. Judith bends over him with uplifted 
sword, with stern determination in every feat- 
ure. Scene 2. — Holofernes is concealed under 
the tables, which are pushed apart far enough to 
allow his head to be shown above them through 
a hole in the sheet which covers them. Large 
drops of red-flannel blood are sewed upon this 
sheet, which has been concealed during the first 
scene by the shawls. Judith stands in front 
of the tables, grasping the hair of the head 
with her left hand. She leans upon lier 
sword with her right hand. A boy lies 
upon the table at the left of the head, con- 
cealed by the shawls, to personate the body 
of Holofernes, and the effect, althongh sim- 
ple, is very startling. Judith wears a tur- 
ban, a long robe of unbleached muslin, heavi- 
ly trimmed with gold paper, a handsome silk 
skirt of yellow or red, with a long, yellow scarf 
tied loosely about her waist. Holofernes should 
have a bare arm, and a portion of his neck 
should also show, the rest of his body being 
covered by the drapery. 

Kebecca at the Well. — In rich Oriental 
dress she offers water, in a long vase, to the 



ORIENTAL TABLEAUX. 165 

servant, who is lifting it to his lips with her 
assistance. He must have a long, white wig 
and beard, and the Oriental dress, as described 
below. 

Jephtha's Daughter : Scene 1. — Jephtha, 
holding a spear, and armed with sword and 
shield, stands at the left, repelling the ad- 
vance of his lovelj daughter, who seems 
running toward him with extended arms. 
She is escorted by two companions, who are 
following her, with cymbal and tambourine. 
Sce7ie 2. — The daughter kneels at her father's 
feet, while he seems to be explaining his fatal 
vow; her companions are overcome with the 
intelh'gence, one of whom has fainted and is 
held in the other's arms. Jephtha's helmet and 
buckler may be made of a wire frame, covered 
with silver paper, his spear-head of tin fastened 
to a pole, also covered with silver paper. 

The Moubning Captives. — A group of 
Oriental maidens, in attitudes of dejection,; 
around a venerable harper. In the first scene 
all hold their musical instruments carelessly in 
their hands, while the old man seems relating 
the story of their wrongs ; he stands in front 
of a bank made by covering two long tables 



166 NEW GAMES FOU PARLOR AND LAWN. 

with green cloth. A maiden stands above 
him on the bank ; another kneels by her side, 
resting her head against her. A third, hold- 
ing cymbals, stands at the other end of the 
bank. A fourth stands on the floor, leaning 
against the table, holding a small harp. An- 
other sits upon a box, with guitar, and two 
others recline upon the floor in deep dejec- 
tion. The harper wears a long, loose, black 
robe, with bare arms, and sandals on his feet. 
His harp is made of wood, covered with gold 
paper. 

In the second scene all are playing upon the 
instruments. 

Ruth and Naomi. — Euth stands leaning 
her head upon the shoulder of Naomi, while 
Orphah stands in the background, as if sadly 
retreating. Naomi in black drapery, and Ruth 
in white. 

Ruth and Boaz. — A field of cut grain may 
be represented by bundles of straw or grain. 
Ruth stands before Boaz with bowed head, 
her lap full of gathered grain. 

The Maiden's Choice. — A young girl, in 
simple dress, seems deciding between two 
plans of life; on her right hand a beautiful 



ORIENTAL TABLEAUX. 167 

brunette, as Pleasure, offers a casket of jewels ; 
she wears rich silk, and is crowned with flow- 
ers. At her left stands Duty, in plain gray 
dress, holding a book ; above her an angel is 
watching with deep interest. In the next 
scene she turns toward Pleasure ; Duty has 
turned away, and the angel is weeping. In 
the third scene Pleasure is in the background, 
with the jewels and rose crown trampled be- 
neath her feet; Duty, in white, shining robes, 
points upward, one hand on the shoulder of 
the kneeling maiden ; the angel, holding a 
cross, seems smiling upon them. 

Note. — Beautiful Oriental costumes may be arranged from 
Canton crape shawls as follows : double in the middle over a 
tape, and tie around the waist for a skirt. Take another of 
a contrasting color, and lay half a yard of it, fringe down- 
ward, over a piece of tape ; tie around the shoulders, and 
draw together at the back. Take the right-hand corner of 
the shawl which has been thrown over, and draw it under 
the right arm, and pin on to the tape at the back ; then fold 
the lower corner in the same manner, then the left-hand 
upper corner in the same way, and ornament profusely in 
front with gold paper fringe and crescents. The turban is 
made by winding a sash around a frame or large ring of 
pasteboard four inches high. The hair is hanging loose, or 
braided, with wax beads or chains. The dress for men is 
loose drawers of red or yellow, and tunic, which can be made 



168 ^''■EW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

by ripping a space two feet wide in the middle of a large cot- 
ton sheet. Throw it over the head, bring one point behind 
and one before, loop the parts which hang over the arms up 
to the shoulder, and fasten with gold paper bands. Tie a 
sash around the waist, and make a large turban, as described 
above. 



MASQUERADE COSTUMES. 

As there seems to be an increasing demand 
for costumes for parties of every description, a 
few new ideas on the subject of snitable dresses 
may be useful. If a costumer is near at hand, 
it will save much time and work, as well as 
expense, to hire the complete suits ; but these 
hints may be of use in the country, and may 
help others to decide upon their parts, as all 
are very effective and easy to prepare at short 
notice. 

Medieval Lady : Tight-filting waisty att in curve around the 
meek ; acani skirty both divided in quarters of contrasted 
colo)', orrutmented ivith quaint devices in gilt paper; arms 
hare, with bracelets; pointed hood, trimmed with white fur. 

Frost Queen : TJiin, white dress, oi^amented with thrystaUized 
alum and ravelled gilt braid; crown with glass pendants suck 
as are on lamps. 

White Queen : Close, heavy, zohite drapery and veil, with white 
crown and mask. 



MASQUERADE COSTUMES. 169 

Red Queen : Close, heavy drapery and veil, with red crown and 
mask. 

Sister Peace : Simple Quaker drab dress, white apron, kerchief, 
and plain cap. 

Donna Belladonna : Bright silk dress, with black lace flounces ; 
mantilla and veil of black lace over high comb; handsome 
bright fan. 

Spanish Gypsy : Short skirt of parti-colored stripes; red bodice, 
coin head-dress — coins cut from gilt card-board — and trim- 
mings of gilt fringe round waist and skirt. 

Jingle : A young lady, tvith a bright dress and black bodice, 
trimmed with bells of various sizes, tvith belt, necklace, and 
bracelets of bells, which also forms Iier head-dress. 

Domino : A common domino of black imglazed cambric, trim- 
med all over with white dominos, with black spots, marked on 
each, of all numbers. 

Flora McFlinse y : A very much exaggerated party dress, of 
any style. 

Brother Fox and Brother Eabbit: Plush or fur dress, and 
masks {which can be hired). 

Belloays : A copy in brown cambric of bellows, loith point up, 
the handle by the sides of each leg of the gentleman; sides of 
painted wood. 

Jack and Jill : Boy and girl, in plaid ging/iam, with long 
aprons, holding a pail. 

Thunder-cloud : Black domino mask and large hood; light- 
ning in red on the back. 

Eclipse: Dress one -half white, one -half black, complete, to 
mask, shoes, and hair. 

Comet : Blu£ dress, bright star on forehead, from ivhich streams 
out a long train of yelloiv paper. 



170 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

Man in the Moon : Black domino, moon on hoops over the lieacl, 

lighted up hy a candle. 
Innocents : Three couples, dressed alike^ all hi white, with long^ 

pointed cone hats. 
What-is-its: Three couples, dressed alike, all in black, with 

long, pointed cone hats. 
Miss Ann Tique : Old-fashioned suit, large bonnet, in the 

ancient style. 
Pansy : Black dress, very heavily trimmed with purple, yellow, 

and white pansies. 
Pink of Perfection : Party dress of pink, with fan, boots, 

mask, and bouquet to match. 
Baron of Intellect : Any exaggerated ccmrt suit. 
The Count de No Account: Similarly attired as the pre- 



Peter Pumpkin-eater : A very tall man, in yellow suit, olden 
style. His Wife is enveloped in an enormous yellow cambric 
pumpkin. 

Many other characters can be found, with 
description of costume, in the other scenes 
described in this book. For drapery cheese- 
cloth, Turkey-red, and the soft plain calicoes 
will be of use. Burnt flour will render dark 
liair blond. Eyebrows extended or changed 
in form will alter the expression, and wrinkles 
can also be drawn with Indian-ink. 



THE WHIRLWIND. 17 V 



THE WHIRLWIND. 

Fob this game twenty chairs were placed 
close together in a circle, and twenty players 
joined. One of the players stood in the cen- 
tre of the ring, so that one chair was left 
vacant. 

This person in the centre, of course, Welshes 
to sit down ; but she is prevented, because the 
players in the ring keep in constant motion, 
each one rising only to sit down in the next 
chair to the right the instant ft is quitted by 
its occupant. 'No one is allowed to occupy 
more than one chair; and each must invaria- 
bly take the chair next on the right to the 
one she left, the whole ring moving round 
and round with great rapidity. 

The player in the centre tries her best to 
secure a seat among the flying mass ; and if 
she succeeds the player on her right must 
stand np and try her luck in finding a seat. 
For this reason every one is eager to prevent 



172 iV^^F GAMES FOB PAliLOR AND LAWN. 

the leader from sitting next her, and when 
she approaches any part of the circle every 
one tries their best, by cries and exertions, to 
hasten the movements of everybody else, until, 
in the mad excitement and whirl, the screams 
of laughter and eager gestures — especially if 
a few stout and sedate persons of dignity have 
been persuaded to join — show the appropriate- 
ness of the name of " Whirlwind " to this jolly 
game, which never fails to amuse both old and 
young. 



WHO KNOWS THAT NOSE? 

For this funny experiment a sheet or shawl 
must be hung across a room or door-way, and 
one-half of the company placed on each side 
of the curtain thus formed. All the light 
must be on the front side, where the guessers 
sit. 

A small hole is made, about four and a half 
feet from the floor, nearly in the centre of the 
curtain. The shape of the letter Y is the best 
form for the hole, which should not be more 
than three inches long. 

When all is ready the game is begun by 



THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING. . 1Y3 

one of the persons behind the slieet thrusting 
his nose through the hole. The players on 
the other side then try to guess the name of 
the owner of the nose, which it is very hard 
to do correctly. 

When a nose has been guessed the owner 
of it must come out and join the guessers; 
but evevj one who guesses wrong must go 
beliind and join the exhibitors. Each one of 
the guessing party must guess in turn, and 
thus only one at a time is exposed to the risk 
of being captured. 

Thus the sides constantly change, and great 
fun is made, especially for those whose noses 
are so distinguished as to be easily recognized, 
and the game is ended when all havcrbeeft-r 
gathered on one side of the curtain. ^ 



THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING. 

A RECEIPT for making anew kind of Christ- 
mas pudding, for which the following ingre- 
dients will be needed : A common wash-tub, 
a bushel of bran or sawdust, a large wooden 
spoon, and a variety of toys, small packages 



174 iVEJF GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

of candy, raisins, or other fniit, carefully done 
lip in briglit-colored papers, and tied around 
with pink strings or ribbons. 

A layer of three bundles is placed on the 
bottom of the tub, and bran is poured around 
and over the layer to the depth of three inches. 
Another layer of presents is then placed on tlie 
bran, which is buried in the same manner until 
the tub is filled. 

Each player takes the spoon in turn, and is 
allowed one dip into the pudding. Sometimes 
he secures a rich plum, but often he finds that 
the prize falls from the spoon before he can 
get it out of the tub, in which case he must 
resign his chance to the next player. Tliis 
pudding is also an excellent means of adding 
to the funds of church fairs by making a small 
charge for each spoonful. 



SEEN OR UNSEEN. 



This game was first intended to amuse little 
children, but on trial it will be found they 
often puzzle their elders, when they play it 
together. It consists simply in one of the 



SEEN OR UNSEEN. 175 

players selectiDg some object and giving its 
initial letter, or two letters, if a compound 
word, or if two words are compreliended in 
its name, as P for picture, P F for picture- 
frame. The other players try to guess this 
article, and any one may ask the question, 
'' Seen or unseen V If the article is in sight, 
or in the room where it can be seen by any 
one of the players, or could be seen by any 
one of them if they looked carefully around 
and walked to any part of the room, the reply 
is " Seen," and then they can ask no more ques- 
tions, but must try to guess the chosen arti- 
cle. If the reply to this question is " Unseen," 
then the players know that something has been 
chosen which is elsewhere, and they are each 
allowed three questions. The object of the 
guessers is then, of course, to locate the article, 
as they know it must exist somewhere, for by 
the rule of the game no article can be chosen 
which is not known to be at present in ex- 
istence by most of the party. No imagi- 
nary thing will do, or anything that at least 
one-half of the party have not a fair chance 
of being familiar with. The articles which 
make the most sport are those which are 



176 ^^W GAMES FOE PARLOR AND LAWK 

"seen," as it very often happens that the 
simplest objects are the very last to be guess- 
ed. Often this has happened, and a dozen or 
more bright people have tried in vain to guess 
something which was directly before their ejes. 
Great is the astonishment when this occurs, and 
the players feel that they often deserve the 
smile of contempt with which some youthful 
puzzler of five years of age greets their vain 
attempts. The person who first guesses the 
article which the giver of the initial had in 
mind has the right to select the next article. 
When an "unseen" article is to be guessed 
each player asks a question in turn, until all 
have asked three each ; and each one has also 
the right to give, three guesses; but if the arti- 
cle is not then guessed correctly the one who 
gave it out may tell it, and try them on an- 
other, or may give them all another chance to 
try again with three more questions and three 
more guesses each, but there are very few arti- 
cles which are not found out by good players 
before they have exhausted their first allow- 
ance of questions and guesses. 



SILVER CIRCULATION. 177 



SILVER CIRCULATIOK 

This is a merry gairie for little cliildren 
and for those whose kind hearts make them 
•wortliy to join them in their sports. It re- 
quires a quick eye and nimble fingers, and 
cannot fail to please, as all who try it will be 
gratified by the shouts of ringing laughter 
which always attend it. All but one of the 
children sit around a table, in chairs placed so 
near each other that the elbows of each child 
will touch those of the one next him on each 
side when extended. A round table is better 
than a square one, but if the latter is used a 
child must be placed against each of the four 
corners at the point. One child runs around 
the outside and tries to keep sight of the 
flying dollar, which is made to slip from 
hand to hand on the table with the greatest 
speed. To confuse the catcher every hand on 
the table is kept in rapid motion until the cry 
" Hands up " is made by the player on the out- 
side. At this call every child must hold both 
hands up as high as the arms can reach when 
12 



178 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

extended. Every hand njust be shnt tight, 
and be kept closed until the catcher decides 
which one holds the dollar. If he guesses 
correctly the person caught becomes the 
catcher in his turn, but if incorrectly the 
first player continues the game until he has 
found the hand which holds the dollar, which 
is not very easy to do, unless the holder betrays 
by his looks that he is the lucky one. 



THE GAME OF PERSONATION. 

Ant number of children may join in this 
game, and it may be played in any room or 
on a lawn or field. All join hands, and go 
around singing, to the tune "Bny a Broom," 
these words : " When I was a lady, a lady, a 
lady ^wh en I was a lady, a lady was I." All 
then let go of hands, and march around in 
single file, singing this chorus: "'Twas this 
way and that way, 'twas this way and that 
way, 'twas this way and that way, 'twas this 
way and that." During the singing of the 
chorus each child imitates as nearly as pos- 
sible the attitudes and action of the person 



THE GAME OF PERSONATION. 179 

denoted in the first part of the song, which 
is changed every time by introducing a dif- 
ferent character. All act together, and try 
to make the various parts as funny and as 
distinct as they can, and each one must look 
as sober as possible during the marching 
and acting. While they sing about the lady 
they must walk with mincing steps, and hold 
the dress daintily with the left hand, while 
the right seems to be waving a fan, and the 
head is turned archly sideways. All then go 
around again, joining hands in the ring, sing- 
ing, "When I was a gentleman, a gentleman, 
a gentleman — when I was a gentleman, a gen- 
tleman was I. 'Twas this way and that way," 
etc., as before. In this, as in all the choruses, 
they imitate the person, and they strut along 
with heads thrown back, the forefinger and 
thumb of the left hand making an eye-glass, 
and the right hand twirling an imaginary 
cane. Next they use the word " school-boy," 
and pretend to march slowly to school, with 
folded hands and unwilling steps. The teach- 
er is denoted by holding an imaginary book 
in the left and making signs with the right 
hand ; the pianist, by playing on imaginary 



180 ^EW GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWN. 

keys; the shoemaker, bj driving pegs into 
the shoes; and the chore-woman, by kneeling 
down and scrubbing the floor or ground with 
both hands. The grandmother goes slowly, 
with knitting work in her shaking hands ; and 
grandpa, leaning his bent form on an imagina- 
ry cane, usually brings up the rear, and ends 
the long procession. 



THE CAT AND THE MOUSE. 

Any number of children can join. All the 
players but two — the cat and the mouse — 
join hands in a ring. Both the cat and mouse 
are stationed within this ring. The mouse is 
allowed to run in and out under the arms of 
the players ; but the cat has no such privilege, 
but must break out by force. 

When the game begins the mouse and the 
cat take their places at opposite sides. The 
players who form the ring must keep tight 
hold of hands, and all say in concert, "Take 
care, mouse ! Cat is coming." 

Upon this the cat must mew three times, 
to ffive the mouse warnins:. 



THE CAT AND THE MOUSE. 181 

The mouse then runs with all its might 
around within the ring, with the cat in close 
pursuit ; but when too closely pursued the 
mouse dodges under the arms of the players 
and runs off. The cat tries in vain to follow, 
unless he can succeed in breaking through — • 
which he often does, if the players are unsus- 
pecting or careless. If on the alert the play- 
ers hold on tight to each other's hands, when 
the cat tries again by suddenly rushing against 
a weaker part of the ring. 

The mouse may again run into the ring, in 
order to divert the attention of the cat from 
breaking out; but should the cat get out of 
the ring the mouse runs away at full speed. 

The other players can help the mouse by 
keeping near and forming a ring around him 
when he is tired, as the cat has then to break 
into the ring in pursuit. 

Sometimes the mouse again runs out, just 
as the cat breaks in> and another chase fol- 
lows, if the cat can again break out. 

When the mouse is caught he at once be- 
comes a cat, having the privilege of choosing 
the next mouse, for which part he of course se- 
lects one whom he thinks he can easily catch. 



182 ^'EW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

The game then begins again, and the shouts 
of the children at the frantic struggles of the 
cat to escape in pursuit of the flying mouse 
convince all listeners of the great fun of the 
game. 



A ROUND GAME. 

Among the many ways of waking up a dull 
company, willing to be amused, if any one 
knows how to do it, we recommend the fol- 
lowing game, which never fails to make plen- 
ty of fun : Take a pack of cards and pass the 
top one to the person next on the right, call- 
ing out, in a loud voice, " Take the ten of dia- 
monds," if that happens to be uppermost. 
The one who receives the card passes it to 
the next, with the same words, and so on 
around the room. The second card follows 
the first instantly, and thus all are. kept busy 
with hand and tongue, without a moment's 
delay or rest, as the name of each card fol- 
lows its predecessor at once, and the confusion 
that is made causes shouts of laughter as the 
game goes merrily on, until the company feel 
well acquainted, and are ready to join with 



.sPOOiYS. 183 

spirit in some harder game. If this descrip- 
tion fails to satisfy the reader that there is 
plenty of amusement in this simple round 
game, we advise him to try it the next time 
he has a dull company on his handis. 



SPOONS. 

A NEW GAME FROM THE GERMANS. 

A VERY funny new game has come to us 
from our German cousins, with the odd title 
of " Spoons," which is played as follows : One 
person takes his stand in the centre of the 
room, with a handkerchief tied over his eyes, 
and his hands extended before him, in each of 
which he holds a large table-spoon. The other 
players march around him in single file, clap- 
ping their hands in time to a tune which may 
be sung or played upon a piano in any slow 
measure suitable for marching. When the 
blinded player calls out "Spoons" all the 
others stop at once, and turn their faces to- 
ward him. He then finds his way to any 
player that he can, and must ascertain who 
he is by touching him with the spoons only, 



184 iVTii'TF GAMES FOR FAELOE AND LAWK 

which he may «se as he pleases. If he guesses 
right, the person he has caught is obliged to 
take his place in the centre. If he is wrong, 
he must try until he succeeds, which it is easy 
to do with a little practice, especially if the 
one who is caught joins in the universal 
laughter. 



TIP. 

Under this odd title a new and excellent 
game is described, which is YQxy popular in 
Germany, and will be equally so in America 
when it becomes known. 

When first read it may not seem to amount 
to much, but it needs only to be tried to be- 
come a favorite with old and young. 

Any number can play, as no skill or prac- 
tice is required, and it is adapted as well to 
the parlor as to the picnic. The writer has 
joined in it on two successive days, once in a 
pleasant drawing-room, with a large round- 
table in the centre, by the cheery light of a 
flashing wood fire, and again under the radiant 
maples, by the side of a beautiful lake. On 
the latter occasion a large shawl was spread 



TIP. 185 

on the ground, and a merry group of bright- 
ejed children, with their parents and older 
friends, sat around on the grass. 

One of the mammas poured out from a pa- 
per package of assorted candy and small toys 
about as many pieces as the number of players, 
making the tempting heap, as nearly as possi- 
ble, in the middle of the shawl, within easy 
reach of all. After one of the children had 
been blindfolded one of the ladies touched an 
article in the pile in the shawl, in order to 
point it out plainly to all excepting the one 
whose eyes were closed. The player then 
opened her eyes, and was allowed to select 
one at a time, and keep for her own all she 
could obtain without taking the "tip," or 
the piece that had been touched. 

Often a great many pieces can be taken, 
and in some cases the " tip " is the last one 
to be pitched upon ; but sometimes an un- 
lucky player selects the ''tip" first, in which 
case she gains nothing, for the moment she 
takes the "tip" she must give it up, and the 
turn passes to the next player on her right. 

Of course all the children scream when the 
tip is touched, and the unlucky ones are laugh- 



186 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

ed at a little, but are soon comforted by pres- 
ents of candy from the stores of the more 
fortunate. 

All who do not believe in the interest of 
the game are cordially advised to secure a 
group of children and a paper of candy, or 
some little presents nicely wrapped in paper, 
and to try it for themselves. 



GRANDPA LONGLEGS' CANDY GAME. 

Grandpa Longlegs used to make the very 
best candy ever known ; and after it was hard- 
ened, by cooling the pan by immersion in a 
snowdrift, he would draw small, even squares 
upon its surface, so that when it was cold it 
would break into even blocks of just good 
mouth size. He taught us a very f nnny game 
one night with this candy. 

He filled a large paper bag almost full with 
these toothsome squares of candy of various 
flavors, and added raisins, pop-corn, and crack- 
ed walnuts. Then he fastened this bag to a 
nail driven into the ceiling near the middle, 
so it could be easily reached with his cane. 



GFiAXDPA LOXQ LEGS' CANDY GAME. 187 

There were a dozen of as boys, and he placed 
six in a row at each end of the kitchen, with 
our backs against the wall. The first in the 
row toward the east was then blinded with 
a handkerchief, and the cane was put into his 
hand, and he was told to turn around three 
times and then hit the bag. His efforts to do 
so were most amusing, for he was as likely to 
go to one part of the room as to another. If 
he failed to hit the bag he was obliged to re- 
turn to his place, and stand with his face to- 
ward the wall until the bag was hit by some 
one else. 

When at last the bag was hit, every one 
was allowed to rush into the middle of the 
room and scramble for the good things which 
Grandpa Longlegs poured out in rich abun- 
dance, and then, hurrah for a regular frolic ! 

There was one boy, whose name was Solo- 
mon, who looked very solemn, but was always 
up to mischief, and was supposed to have had 
a hand in filling the second bag. Perhaps 
Grandpa Longlegs knew all about it, and 
perhaps he did not, for no one could tell by 
the expression of his face, which was seem- 
ingly full of pity at the catastrophe. The 



188 NEW GAMES FOR PAliLOR AND LAWN 

boys, ever ready for more, no matter how 
full their pockets and systems may have 
been, rushed into the centre of the room 
after the next bag was hit, and received a 
shower of flour, which made them look as if 
they had been out in a snow-storm. Their 
heads seemed whitened with the snows of 
many winters, and their clothes looked like 
the dress of millers ; but a good brushing, 
with tlie help of a little snow, repaired the 
damage. This last is put in only as a warn- 
ing to the boys not to try the second bag 
when they play the candy game. 

For the benefit of the unfortunates who 
never lived in the country we give a few re- 
ceipts to show how Grandpa Longlegs made 
his candy : 

I. EVEETON TAFFY. 

One pound powdered or granulated sugar, 
one teacup cold water, one-quarter pound but- 
ter, a little lemon-juice or six drops essence of 
lemon. Put the sugar and water into a sauce- 
pan on the stove. When the sugar is dis- 
solved add the butter, and stir the mixture 
over the fire until it besjins to harden. Just 



OBANDFA LONGLEGS' CANDY GAME. 189 

before it is done add the lemon. Pour into 
a buttered dish or pan to cool. 

II. OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES CANDY. 

To each pint of molasses one-eighth of a 
pound of butter is added after it has boiled 
long enough to string from the spoon. Boil 
rapidly, and stir constantl3^ Stir in lemon, 
peppermint, or other essence when boiled. 
When not intended to be pulled add nut- 
meat cut up fine. 

III. MOLASSES CANDY COKN-BALLS. 

Take out some of the sjrup before it lias 
become string}^, stir in pop-corn, and roll the 
balls into shape as soon as it is cool enough 
to handle. 

IV. CHOCOLATE CEEAM-DEOPS. 

Filling : Two cups of sugar, one-half cup of 
water. Boil ^ve minutes, setting the kettle 
into another of cold water, and stirring all 
the time. When cool enough to handle, roll 
into little balls with the hand, and place on 
buttered tins to cool. While the tilling is 
cooling take four squares of chocolate, put in 



190 ■A'E'TF GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWN. 

a bowl, and place over tlie teakettle to melt. 
Drop the balls into the chocolate, then put 
back on the tins to harden. This quantity 
will make about fifty drops. 

V. CHOCOLATE CAEAMEL. 

One cup of sugar, one cup of molasses, one 
^up of milk, one half cup of butter, one quar- 
ter pound of chocolate. Boil from thirty to 
forty-five minutes, or until it is brittle when 
dropped in water, or will float; then pour 
into a buttered tin to cool. 



MIRTHFUL MAGIC. 191 



MIRTHFUL MAGIC; 

OR, 
HOW TO TURN A DULL PARTY INTO A MERRY ONE. 

When yonng people, and often old ones 
also, first arrive at a party they are apt to 
feel a little stiff and awkward, and to stand 
about in corners, as if oppressed with the re- 
sponsibility of their best gloves and clothes, 
and the giver of the entertainment seeks in 
vain to enliven and stir them up. For her 
aid we propose to give a few simple receipts 
which will answer the purpose, and give them 
a good laugh, after which they will be ready 
for the harder games w^hich will follow. First 
she may ask them to join in the game of "Sat- 
isfaction." Every person in the room is in- 
vited to stand up, and all join hands in a ring, 
in the centre of w^hich the leader stands, hold- 
ing a cane in her hand, with which she points 
to each one in turn, and asks this question, 
after requesting silence and careful attention, 
" Are you satisfied ?" Each replies in turn as 



192 ^EW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

he or she pleases, many probably saying "]^o," 
and others "Yes." The leader then says, "All 
who are satisfied may sit down, the others may 
stand up nntil they are satisfied." 

MESMERIC TRICK. 

Offer to mesmerize any lady so that she 
cannot get up alone ; and when one volun- 
teers place her in a chair in the centre of 
the room, and sit facing her, requesting all 
the company to keep quiet and unite their 
wills with yours. Ask the lady to fold her 
arms and lean back comfortably, and proceed 
to make a variety of passes and motions with 
your hands with great solemnity. After a few 
moments say, " Get up ;" and as she rises from 
her chair you rise at the same moment, and 
say, " I told you you could not get up alone." 
If she suspects a trick, and does not rise, of 
course your reply is the same. 

THE NEW FIFTEEN PUZZLE. 

Draw the squares on a sheet of paper, and 

say, " I wish to fill these rows of squares, or 

/stalls, full of animals, which you must watch 

carefully, in order to ai-range them according 



MIRTHFUL MAGIC. 



193 



to a formula wliicli I shall give you. I will 
put down H for horses in the first row, C for 
cows in the second, and D for donkejs in the 
third," Put the let- 
ters down rapidly as 
you talk, leaving one 
square vacant in the 
third row, as if by ac- 
cident, and some look- 
er-on will be sure to 

say words to this effect, "There is one donkey 
missing ;" when you reply at once, " Then 
jump in yourself." 



H 

C 
D 


H 

C 


H 


H 

C 
D 


H 
C 
D 


C 
D 



MIND-READIXa 

This curious trick, like most good ones, is 
very simple in plan, although some skill is re- 
quired to perform it well. After a few learned 
remarks on the occult science of mind-reading, 
the performer requests each person in the room 
to write a word or short sentence on a slip of 
paper, and to place it in a hat which stands 
on the table. He then takes his seat behind 
the hat, and draws out one of the papers, and 
presses it against his forehead, covering it from 
view with the fingers of each hand, which touch 
13 



194 ^-EIW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LA\\N. 

each other. After anxious thought, lie reads it, 
and proceeds to draw and read aloud each slip 
in turn, laying each one on the table behind 
the hat, until all have been taken out, when 
they are handed together to the company for 
examination. 

This trick, when well performed, causes the 
greatest surprise and astonishment, and its 
manner of performance was for a long time 
kept secret. It consists in inventing a word 
for the first slip, and glancing at its true con- 
tents when laid on the table behind the hat. 
The words on the first paper are read for the 
second, which is glanced at also, and its con- 
tents read for the third, and so on until the 
last one has been placed on the forehead, in 
removing which it is concealed in the hand 
and dropped into a side pocket, or mixed with 
the rest, which are seldom exa?nined carefully 
enough to discover its absence or that of the 
contents of the first slip. 

This YQYy easy and effective trick may be 
of use in showing the young how easy it is 
for seeming impossibilities to be performed, 
and thus to put them on their guard against 
being too easily deceived by the evidence of 



MIRTHFUL MAGIC. 195 

their own senses, or trusting too much to the 
skill of pretenders who promise to foretell 
future events, of which neither thej nor their 
hearers can have the least knowledge. 

HOW TO PLACE AN EGG SO IT CANNOT BE 
BROKEN BY A TIN PAN. 

Show a large tin pan and a common egg^ 
and allow the spectators to handle and exam- 
ine both, to see that there is no deception 
about either. Then let anj one take the pan 
and be ready to strike with all his might. 
When he has tried in vain to guess how j^ou 
can place the egg where it cannot be broken 
by the pan, stand it up in the corner of the 
room, and of course it will be impossible for 
any one to hit it. 

HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITHOUT WORK. 

Draw several lines radiating from a central 
point, and let each player choose a line and 
be sure to remember which it is. Each then 
places a piece of money on his line, and you 
say, " Take particular notice of your line and 
money, so that you will not forget either." 
Then move the pieces of money about, taking 



196 ^Ji!W GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

care tliat not one piece remains on its original 
line. Ask each one in turn, "Is that your 
line?" and of course every one will say, 
" Yes." Afterward say to each, in tlie same 
order, "Is that your money?" touching tlie 
piece that is now on the line belonging to 
the person addressed. When all have an- 
swered these questions in the negative, you 
calmly collect and pretend to pocket all the 
money, with the quiet remark, "As 3^ou have 
all said that that was not your money, I think 
it must be mine." 

Say to any person, " I will lay a wager to 
any amount that I have more money in my 
pocket than you have." After an animated 
debate, and exhibition of the contents of 
pockets, you say, " I have more money in my 
pocket than any one, for none of you have 
any money in my pocket." 

Say to the ladies, "A man can marry any 
woman he pleases." After the long and in- 
dignant protest, calmly reply, " A man may 
marry any woman he pleases, but the trouble 
is to find the woman that he does please." 



MIRTHFUL MAGIC. 19T 



NUMERATION. 



Some very astonishing tricks can be per- 
formed by a simple knowledge of numbers, 
one of the best of which is to ask any one to 
try to reach the number one hundred by add- 
ing ten or any part of ten to the sum fixed 
upon by either, which does not exceed fifty 
at the beginning of the computation. The 
object of each is to reach exactly one hun- 
dred, and it is only needful for the v^^inner to 
begin one numeral liigher than the sum men- 
tioned ; for instance, in twenties to name 
twenty-three ; in thirties, thirty-four ; in for- 
ties, forty -five, etc. ; for when eighty-nine is 
thus i*eached the opponent can only add ten, 
w^hich would be ninety-nine. The number 
one hundred of course comes to the one who 
understands the process. When the game 
begins it is usually unnecessary to fall into 
this formula before the seventies are reached, 
when the number seventy-eight is, of course, 
named ; but, as the players grow suspicious, 
it may be needful to introduce it earlier in 
the game, which is as sure to be won if twelve 
is named as eighty-nine, although the method 



198 ^V^^ GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

is much easier to be found out by thus keep- 
ing to the regular formula than by trusting 
to luck and only trying it much nearer the 
end of the game. This very simple method 
has puzzled many, and it is probably the first 
time the simple solution of it has ever been 
given in print. 

THE ELECTRIC TRICK. 

At a noted game club in Boston this little 
trick was introduced by the writer to show 
how easily the keenest intellects can be puz- 
zled when off their guard. Three substances 
are first chosen with great care — one animal, 
one mineral, one vegetable- After each has 
been subjected to the closest examination, to 
discover that but one kingdom is represented 
in its composition, they are laid side by side, 
the mineral toward the north, after some pains 
have been taken to discover the points of the 
compass as nearly as possible. The attention 
of the company is then called to the subject 
of electricity in the human body, and after 
each has spoken of his powers in that direc- 
tion, such as the common one of lighting 
the gas with the finger, or by giving shocks 



MIRTHFUL MAGIC. 199 

or causing sparks after rubbing the feet on a 
thick carpet, etc., the operator says, " I am 
about to try a simple experiment of this kind, 
and to judge which of these three substances 
was touched by any one gifted with magnetic 
power." He then closes his eyes, while some 
one touches one of the substances, and then 
he remarks, " I am perfectly willing to let 
you do this for yourselves if you are able. 
Just rub your finger very hard on the carpet, 
and judge by a faint tingling sensation which 
of these three articles was last touched." Af- 
ter some hesitation he lifts up the substance 
last touched, and repeats the experiment until 
all are satisfied. Many imaginative people 
think that they feel a faint sensation, and if 
they happen to select the right article are 
much elated, and it is very funny to see sev- 
eral sensible people on their knees rubbing 
the carpet with their forefingers to feel the 
faint tingling of electricity. 

This trick was played for weeks without 
discovery, so the author was ashamed to tell 
that the scientific m^^stery was owing to a 
confederate, and that a quiet and demure lady 
siscnified the article which had been touched 



200 ^£^W GAMES FOR TARLOR AND LAWN. 

bv giving an almost imperceptible cough as 
his finger touched the right one ; and to make 
it more difficult of detection, when two had 
been touched without the signal he, of course, 
knew that the third was the right substance 
for him to select. 

THE BLAZING SNOW-BALL. 

One of the most astonishing and amusing 
tricks has been lately performed by a German 
professor, which is so simple that any boy can 
very easily do it when he knows how. 

In the parlor where it was first tried a party 
of scientific gentlemen and ladies were seated 
conversing upon subjects of deep interest, and 
the professor had been explaining the bias of 
the mind toward superstition. " For instance," 
said he, " I can easily convince you that I can 
perform an impossibility, or something that 
has at least always been so considered : I can 
light a snow -ball with a common match." 
Of course all present ventured to doubt this 
statement, and several declared that it was im- 
possible to deceive them into such a belief. 
The professor at once opened the window, 
and took from the sill a handful of snow 



MIliTHFUL MAG IV. 201 

which had lately fallen. Rolling it np into a 
ball, he placed it upon a plate, and passed it 
around to be inspected by each member of the 
company. All having assured themselves that 
everything was correct, and that there was no 
deception in the plate or snow, he placed the 
. plate upon the mantel, rolled the snow into a 
closer ball, and in the full view of all the com- 
pany took a common match from the match- 
box and lighted the snow-ball, which imme- 
diately broke out into a cheerful blaze. The 
professor then passed the plate around to each 
of the company, and great were the expres- 
sions of astonishment as the flame rose higher 
and higher from the snow. Some economists 
doubtless planned a wise paper on the advan- 
tage to the poor to be derived from this new 
species of fuel, and no one of the incredulous 
could guess how the clever trick was done.. It 
was very simple, however. The professor had 
slipped a piece of crude camphor, of about the 
size and shape of a chestnut, into the top of 
the snow-ball. He then applied the match 
to the smaller end, which was uppermost, and 
was pushed so far into the soft snow as to be 
invisible. 



202 -VJJVV^ GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWX. 

A smart boy can make a great deal of fun 
by giving a burlesque lecture on heat, and il- 
lustrating it by this remarkable experiment. 
He can have the small piece of camphor, 
sharpened to a point, in his vest pocket, and 
can take it out while feeling for a match, and 
can easily slip it into the snow-ball just before - 
lighting it. The softer and fresher the snow, 
the easier it will be to conceal the slight dif- 
ference in color between the two substances, 
which becomes less perceptible after the cam- 
phor has burnt for a few moments. 



THE GREAT-GIiANDFATHER OF CROQUET. 203 



THE GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF CROQUET. 

As summer dries up the moist paths and 
jawns the boys are eager for new out-of-door 
games, and we will hunt for them where most 
good things come from — in the distant past, 
the games of which are the new ones of to- 
day. 

The boys of 1882 are advised to reproduce 
one of the first games ever played in " merrie 
England," one in which kings and princes de- 
lighted to join, and in honor of which a cel- 
ebrated avenue still retains its ancient name. 
Very little can be ascertained about this game 
and the manner of playing it, as the only au- 
thentic record which we can find consists of a 
picture of one of its balls and mallets in the 
Bodleian manuscripts. A hint has also been 
discovered in another book, from which we 
have gathered ideas enough to describe a 
game full of novelty and interest to both 
hoj& and girls, in addition to its deep histor- 
ical and literary associations. From the form 
of the simple implements preserved in the 
picture, pall-mall may certainly be consid- 



20i iVii'TF GAMES FOR PARLOR A XI) LAWN. 

ered as the ancestor of croqnet, for the idea 
of a ball driven by a mallet was doubtless 
derived from it. 

The best mall for this game is a hard con- 
crete or gravel walk seven feet in width and 
forty feet in length. Doubtless after this 
game becomes widely known malls for this 
purpose will be made on many pleasure- 
grounds; but it can be played on any lawn 
by enclosing a space with small posts, to which 
a line is fastened six inches from the ground, 
and ruling out all balls that roll outside of the 
boundary or pass under the line. When play- 
ed on a path or avenue, the boundaries are 
marked by the grass or border on each side. 
Any number of players can join, each one 
being provided with one ball and mallet. 
The best ball for the purpose is the smallest 
size of those used in bowling-alleys, made of 
hard, heavy wood, four inches in diameter. 
Each player must be able to identify his ball 
at once among a crowd, for which purpose 
each should be marked with a spot of differ- 
ent color. The mallet must be made of oak, 
with a head nine inches long and four inches 
thick, through which a very strong handle is 



THE GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF CROQUET 205 

securely fastened, projecting three feet at least. 
It is well to have the handles of these mallets 
of various lengths, to accommodate tall or short 
plaj^ers, as the ball should be hit without stoop- 
ing, and on the run. 

Upon the mall lines arc made with white 
lime, flour, or plaster; one for the starting- 
point, one in the centre, one at the goal, and 
one six feet from the starting-point. All these 
lines cross the mall, excepting the one six feet 
from tlie start, which is a circle four feet across, 
made by fastening a string to a post, and draw- 
ing a ring on the ground with another stick 
tied to the post by a string two feet long, and 
marking the circle thus made with plaster. 
The goal is a small board, with a peg eighteen 
inches long at the middle of tlie lower edge, 
by which it is driven into the ground. At 
equal distances from this peg arches are cut 
in the goal, six inches high and five inches 
wide, and just over the peg a circle of the 
same size as the ball is made with white 
chalk. 

As the first stroke is important, it is deter- 
mined by placing all the balls on the circle in 
front of the starting-place, and allowing eacli 



206 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

player to knock his ball ; and the one whose 
ball goes farthest along the mall has the pre- 
cedence, and the next one in order has the 
second choice. These two players then choose 
sides in tnrn, and direct the game. The ob- 
ject is to hit the white circle of the goal, with 
the fewest strokes, withont sending the ball 
outside of the mall. Any player w^ho sends 
his own ball or that of an adversary off the 
mall before it reaches the centre line causes 
that ball to be out of the game. Any ball 
knocked off the mall, after passing the centre 
line, may return once only to the starting- 
point for a second trial. Any ball sent 
through either of the arches in the goal, 
before hitting the white ring, is out of the 
game. Players who have passed the centre 
line may knock either way, but before reach- 
ing the centre must always play toward it. 

When a player has hit the circle on the 
goal, without being hit, he can, if he prefers, 
let his ball remain, and play against the others, 
or remove his ball to count on his side; but if 
not taken off, his ball is equally liable with the 
others to be knocked off the mall or through 
the arch, in which case it is out of the game. 



THE GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF CROQUET. 207 

A player who clears the centre line at one 
knock can plaj again, and if he hits the circle 
with one knock more, his side wins the game. 
Great judgment is thus required in the force 
applied to each stroke, especially when many 
balls are in the mall, as the player runs the 
risk of knocking off friends and adversaries 
alike. To gain force for the blow each has 
the choice of running along the mall from the 
starting-point. The side wins which hits the 
centre ring first with the most balls, as it sel- 
dom happens that more than three balls reach 
the goal without going through it or being 
knocked off the mall. The contest grows 
hot around the goal, as many players send 
their own balls off the mall in their eager 
efforts to knock away those of their adver- 
saries, and the game is at an end only when 
every ball has hit the circle or is out of the 
game either by going through the goal or off 
the mall, as after passing the centre line one 
may play toward the goal or against any ball 
in either direction. 



208 ^^'W GAMES FOB PARLOR AND LAWK 



THE GAME OF BOGGIA. 

This requires one black ball, nine white 
balls, and nine colored balls. Croquet balls 
will answer ; but those of hard wood are bet- 
ter, since they are heavier; still, if made of 
light wood, melted lead can be poured into 
holes made with a gimlet, until they weigh 
about half a pound each. 

Any even number can play, from two to 
eighteen persons. 

The players are divided into two equal 
sides. The colored balls are divided among 
the players of one side, and the white balls 
among the players of the other side. 

At first the players choose by lot which 
shall have the first roll ; but in all future 
games the side that wins has the first roll. 
To make this choice the leader of one side 
holds behind him a colored ball in one hand, 
and a white in the other; and the leader of 
the other side guesses, right or left. If he 
guesses the hand which holds the color of his 
own side, he gains the right to begin the 
game; if not, the other side begins. The 



THE GAME OF BOhxJlA. 209 

leader first rolls the black ball on the lawn to 
such a distance as he chooses from a starting- 
line. Upon this starting -line every plaj^er 
must place his right foot when he rolls ; this 
line extends across the lawn at least twenty 
feet, and the player can roll from any part of 
it, as it is often desirable to roll from differ- 
ent angles. 

The leader then rolls a white ball, trying 
to have it stop as close as possible to the black 
ball. 

The leader of the other side then rolls a 
colored ball; his object being to come in 
closer, or to knock away either the black ball 
or the white ball. 

The players of each side play alternately — 
a white and a color — and the luck constantly 
changes ; for as, at the close of the game, all 
balls of one side count which are nearer to 
the black than any ball of the other side, a 
lucky roll may change the whole result by 
coming in closer, or by knocking away either 
black, white, or colored balls. 

Great skill can be used, as, if the ball is too 
swift, it goes beyond all the balls unless it 
hits and scatters them ; if too light, it fails to 
14 



210 ^J^'W GAMES FOE PARLOR AND LAWN. 

come in near the black. Great excitement 
always attends the last roll, as a good player 
who knows the ground can often change the 
whole aspect of the game for the advantage 
of his own side, and a careless one often 
throws the game into the hands of the oppo- 
site by knocking away the balls belonging to 
his own side. 

The side which first scores ten wins the 
game. 



THE PENDULUM. 

This new and graceful game for lawns re- 
quires the following simple apparatus, which 
any boy can prepare ; or it can be manufact- 
ured by competent mechanics into an orna- 
ment for a pleasure-ground : 

1st. Six rings, each eight inches in diame- 
ter. To the bottom of each ring is attached 
a prong six inches long, by which the rings 
can be driven into the ground and made to 
stand upright. Each ring is a different color, 
red, blue, green, yellow, black, and white, each 
color having its distinct value in the "score." 

2d. A piece of rope eight feet long, with a 



THE PENDULUM. 211 

ring half an inch in diameter at one end, and 
a heavy ball or pendulum at the other. 

3d. Two posts ten feet long. These posts 
are set in the ground two feet deep, and six 
feet apart, in a straight line; and a hole is 
bored in each two inches from the top. 

4th. A piece of heavy wire, one end of 
which is fastened firmly to a peg driven into 
the ground ten feet outside one of the posts. 
The other end is then rim through the hole 
in the top of the post, then through the ring 
on the end of the rope, then through the hole 
in the other post, then drawn taut and fast- 
ened to a peg in the ground ten feet outside 
the second post. 

The pendulum rope will now run smoothly 
on the wire between the posts, and the pegs' 
can be driven in at any time to tighten the 
wire if it become slack. 

The apparatus is now ready for the game. 
Any number can play, but six on a side is 
enough, and one on each side will do. 

One side now drives down the six rings on 
a line between the posts, arranging them so 
that the color w^hich counts the highest will 
be the most difficult to hit. A red ring counts 



212 NEW GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWK 

one, a blue two, green three, yellow four, black 
HwQ, wiiite six. A line is drawn six feet from 
the rings, parallel with the rings. 

The first player on the other side decides 
what ring to try to hit. He then moves the 
pendulum rope along the wire until it is over 
the chosen ring. He then takes the ball as 
far back as he can draw it and aims at the 
ring. Should he catch the ring, he can choose 
another ring, and so on until he misses. Should 
he throw the ball hard and true enough to 
carry the ring over the line in front, it counts 
as tw^o rings. When all on one side have 
thrown to a miss, the other side throws. The 
side that scores one hundred first wins the 
game and begins the next one. 



THE POTATO RACE. 

This amusing out-of-door game requires a 
swift runner, with his feet w-ell under his con- 
trol, and a good eye for a straight line. It 
can be played by any number, as each one 
runs in turn. 

First a large circle is marked out by a boy 



THE POTATO RACE. 213 

who carries one end of a line twenty feet 
long, tlie other end being fastened to a stake 
in the centre of the ring which they wish to 
make. As he goes slowly around he marks 
out this ring by scattering some white sand 
or old plaster or some flour from a sieve in 
his right hand, holding the line in his left. 

Then three judges are chosen. The first 
two take their places on the ring opposite 
each other. 

One of them has a basket of potatoes at his 
feet. 

The other makes a line ten feet long of 
white sand or flour, crossing the ring, ^ve 
feet inside, five feet outside. He then divides 
this line with spots of dark earth into sections 
of six inches. 

The third judge stands in the centre of the 
ring. 

The duty of the first judge is to see that 
the runner takes but one potato from the bas- 
ket at a time. 

The duty of the second judge is to see that 
the runner places each potato on the regular 
spots, beginning at the outside end of the line, 
and if a spot is missed to stop the runner. 



214 Jy^JW GAMES FOE PAUL OH AND LAWN. 

The duty of the third judge is to number 
the boys, to call out the runners, and to "keep 
the time," allowing each player ten minutes 
in which to hit all the spots. 

The runners stand in a line, according to 
their numbers, near the first judge. 

No. 1, when called, picks up a potato, runs 
on the outside of the ring to the outside point 
of the ten-foot line, places his_potato, and runs 
on around to the starting-place, seizes another, 
runs on, places it on the second spot of the 
ten-foot line, and so on, until his ten minutes 
are up, and the third judge calls " Time !" 

But should he fail in depositing his potato 
exactly 07i the spot marked, he is stopped, and 
runner ]^o. 2 called. 

Also, upon coming to the part of the line 
within the ring, he must each time enter on 
the inside of the line, and also come out on 
the same side to continue his flight around. 
Should he step over the line, entering or de- 
parting, he is at once stopped. 

The player who places the most potatoes 
in regular order exactly upon the dark spots 
of the ten-foot line is declared " best fellow," 
and becomes judge l^o. 1 in the next game. 



THE POTATO RACE. 215 

The second and third " best fellows " become 
judges l^os. 2 and 3. 

The boj^s seized upon the new game with 
great spirit. We will not describe it farther, 
except to say that the runners who began 
slowly and ran steadily, without any " spurts," 
were the ones who were the best able to stop 
at the line and place the potatoes correctly; 
while those who were not so cool-headed 
found it difficult to stop in time, and often 
either ran by or else missed the spot, and so 
at once lost their chance. 

There was also a world of fun as now and 
then some eager fellow tipped over on his 
nose, or went head-over-heels trying to pause 
suddenly in his swift circular flight. 



216 -V^W' GAMES FOB PAUL OM AND LAWN, 
FAST RUNNERS. 

A NEW OUT-OF-DOOE GAME. 

WITH A SPECIMEX OF THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS PLAYED 
BY THE PUPILS OF HERR JO KOSE. 

The plajers are arranged in two lines, with 
spaces of tiiree feet between the couples. 
One boj stands at the head of this column, 
and when ready he must say a short verse. 
At this notice the couple wlio are at the foot 
of the column must separate and run up past 
liim, and then off, each in a different direc- 
tion. The boy at the head can chase either 
one, or can change his pursuit from one to 
the other, as he thinks best. If he can catch 
and hold eitlier before they again meet and 
join hands, the person caught becomes his 
partner, and is led back to the front of the 
column, and the one who is left becomes the 
pursuer, and must stand in front of the couple 
W'ho have just returned and call upon the 
couple at the foot to run. 

The pursuer cannot chase either of the 
pair until they have both passed by him ; but 
after that as soon as he touches one of them, 



FAST MUNNERS, 217 

that one yields without trying to escape. In 
case he fails to catch either before they have 
met and joined hands, he must escort them to 
the front of the column, and then he must 
try the couple left at the rear, and so on, un- 
til he captures a partner. 

All the children, even to little Alice, who 
is only seven, seemed to understand just how 
to play from Herr Kose's simple direction ; 
and they were all eager to begin, when they 
discovered that as they numbered just twenty 
they had no one to lead the chase ; but Jack 
called out, " Let Dick begin : he can run the 
fastest of any of us, except Emma." So Dick 
took his place at the head, standing about 
three feet in front of Rosy and Grace, who 
were the forward couple. " But what shall 
I do for a partner ?" said Maud, who had been 
standing with Dick. " Oh, I will take the 
Professor." So she marched up to Herr Kose 
and fairly dragged him into the ranks by her 
side, in spite of his resistance and protesta- 
tions that he could not run. 

E'ow Dick calls out, 

" Now for some fun ! 
The last two run !" 



218 Ni:W GAMES FOR PARLOR AND LAWN. 

Robbie and Lucy, at the rear of the column, 
divide and pass Dick on a rapid run, intend- 
ing to join hands at the edge of the pine 
woods before being caught ; but Dick, who is 
an experienced and crafty runner, chases Lucy 
until Robbie crosses toward her, when he turns 
and chases him as he doubles around to reach 
her; then, when she least expects, he turns 
again and catches Lucy by the hand, and leads 
her to the front. Robbie then takes his place 
and calls out, " I^ow for some fun ! the last 
two run !" The last couple this time is com- 
posed of Emma and Bessie, who are both 
very strong and active, being members of the 
Girls' Boat and Ball Club, of which we shall 
hear more by-and-by. They start slowly and 
pass the leader before they divide, and he 
chases Bessie, thinking he will have an easy 
task, but she shows sudden speed and catches 
hold of Emma, who has made a wide circle to 
meet her. 

Poor Robbie is a little chagrined at his bad 
luck, but, after resting a moment for breath, 
again calls out and regains his laurels by 
catching Jack, a very nimble fellow, on the 
wing long before he can join his companion 



FAST RUNNERS. 219 

Roger, who has wandered off too far at the 
left side. 

Roger is glad to see that this time the rear 
couple is made up of little Maud and her el- 
derly partner, Herr Jo Kose, who protests 
that he cannot run, and will not try ; but lit- 
tle Maud has a gentle way of making every 
one do as she pleases, and they start off at the 
call with great spirit. Roger, of course, chases 
Herr Kose, who is going with great difficulty, 
but who quickens his speed so gradually that 
Roger finds he has no easy task as they dodge 
about, to the delight of the children. At last 
they have reached the end of the clearing, and 
Roger is just about to grasp the flying coat- 
tails of his stout friend, when the cunning 
little Maud darts out from behind a great 
pine-tree, and proudly leads back her partner, 
who seems wholly overcome and gasps for 
breath like a porpoise; and Roger has to try 
once more. 

Thus they all run in turn, with varying luck, 
until it becomes again the turn of the stout 
teacher to elude the pursuit of little Louise, 
and very well he does it too, until, in an un- 
lucky moment, he trips and falls, in so awk- 



220 ^'EW GAMES FOB PAELOR AND LAWN. 

ward a manner that if he was not so smart 
we might think he did it on purpose to be 
caught. 

The above example shows that this merry 
game will furnish harmless fun and healthful 
exercise for old and young children. 



THE TUG OF WAR. 

Foe this game, which requires strength as 
well as agility, it is well to select a level strip 
of ground not less than fifty feet long, smooth, 
and free from stones ; and grass is better than 
bare ground, as falls are very frequent. 

Any number can play, since the more nu- 
merous the playei's are the better. This day 
there happened to be twenty-one boys in the 
company, so they chose by common consent 
one boy to be the umpire and director, leav- 
ing twenty players. 

Two others were sent to the house of a 
farmer which was in sight to borrow a thick 
rope, thirty-six feet long, which was used by 
the farmer to raise the bales of hay up to the 
high beams of his barn. 



TEE TUG OF WAR. 221 

Another went to an old cellar near at hand 
for a peck of old plaster known to be lying 
there. 

The umpire chose two boys of about the 
same size and strength for leaders. 

Each of these leaders chose in turn a boy 
for his side, until each side numbered ten. 

The umpire then took off his hat ribbon 
and tied it on the middle of the rope. He 
was careful to have the knot of ribbon on the 
exact centre, which he easily ascertained by 
doubling the rope. He next made a large, 
conspicuous spot of plaster as nearly as he 
could guess in the middle of the smooth, 
turfy plain. 

The leaders, each taking an end of the rope, 
then separated, and stretching it taut, placed 
it so that the ribbon knot lay exactly over 
the centre spot of plaster. 

Then the umpire measured off along-side 
the rope ten feet from the centre spot. He 
marked this distance by another conspicuous 
spot of plaster. On this spot he placed one 
of the leaders, with his nine men in a row be- 
hind him. 

Then he measured off ten feet from the 



222 ^^^W GAMES FOR TAULOR AND LAWN. 

centre spot in tlie opposite direction, marking 
it as before. On the mark lie placed the oth- 
er leader, his nine men at his back. 

Then he took his own station on the centre 
mark. 

^'Eeady!" he called. 

Both leaders stooped and lifted the rope, 
their men also taking it in line, each with a 
good grasp. 

" Make ready !" the umpire called again. 

Both armies then leaned back, pulling the 
rope until the ribbon was suspended exactly 
over the centre spot of plaster where the um- 
pire stood. 

" Are you all ready ?" called the umpire. 

" Ay !" answered the leaders together. 

^'Then one, tw^o, three— ^i^^Z.^" shouted the 
umpire. 

Then every boy tugged w^ith all his might, 
either army encouraged by shouts from his 
leader as the ribbon w^as pulled from the cen- 
tre mark toward or froni his side. 

This game consists in one side or the other 
pulling the rope until the ribbon shall be 
hauled entirely over the mark on which the 
leader of the successful army was stationed. 



THE CATAPULT. 223 

the umpire calling out "Yictory!" the mo- 
ment this mark is actually crossed. 

As may be inferred, the game is always 
noisy, full of battle heat, and also much fun, 
as the contestants on both sides pull and 
strain the harder as the ribbon approaches 
one side or the other, some falling, some sit- 
ting down on the ground to pull the better, 
others tumbling over them. Very often, too, 
as one side seems sure of victory, the other 
makes a sudden spurt, and digging their heels 
in the ground, give a mighty pull all togeth- 
er, bringing the other army, ribbon and all, 
tumbling headlong into their midst, thus end- 
ing, with shouts of laughter and cries of tri- 
umph, the " tug of war." 



THE CATAPULT. 

Any number of persons can play this 
game, divided into two sides equal in nund- 
bers, strength, speed, and endurance. 

The catapult itself consists of four pieces: 
a post, which may be any common stake driven 
firmly into the ground, and standing two and 



224 ^J^W GAMES FOR PAHLOB AND LAWiY. 

a half feet high ; a bar or flat stick three and 
a half feet long, with a hollow the size of the 
ball cat in it, about three inches from one end 
— this hollow is about two inches deep ; a ball- 
club four feet long; a ball of weight sufficient 
to balance the bar or catapult when it is placed 
on the top of the post, the bar projecting in 
front of the post two and a half feet. The 
ball end projects at the back about one foot. 

The side wins whose members first succeed 
in firing ten consecutive shots. 

The sides stand in two lines, six feet behind 
the post. 

The leader on one side balances the catapult 
on the post, then places the ball in the hollow, 
then strikes a blow with the club on the long 
arm of the catapult, when the ball is shot with 
great force in a direction hard to calculate on. 

The moment the blow is struck both sides 
rush for the ball. The finder tries to conceal 
it and prevent his foes from grasping it. He 
is not safe from their attacks until he touches 
the ball to the post. His pursuers hem him 
on every hand, calling " Cat ! Cat !" at the 
top of their voices. If hard pressed the finder 
throws the ball to any player of his own side 



THE CATAPULT. 225 

who seems nearest the post and outside of the 
besiegers, or he sometimes can manage to throw 
the ball and hit the post. This is not often a 
safe thing to do, as the post is usuallj sur- 
rounded by a portion of his foes, determined 
either to secure the ball or prevent his touch- 
ing the post. 

The leaders on each side may show good 
tactics in directing their men, some to sur- 
round the " Cat," or finder, others to prevent 
his approach to the post, while his friends can 
rush to his aid, hoping to receive and bear the 
ball on to the goal. A good " Cat " will often 
escape from the ring, make a grand detour, 
and, outrunning his pursuers, reach the post, 
and, by a high leap or throw, secure the vic- 
tory. 

As the ten shots and captures for one side 
must be consecutive, a side may be on the 
point of success and yet lose all, as a score 
never counts after the other side secures 
the ball. 

15 



226 NEW GAMES FOR FARLOR AND LAWN. 



V. P. K. GOSLINGS. 

A MAY-POLE GAME. 
ADAPTED FROM AN ANCIENT CUSTOM. 

The May-pole is made from a tall, straight 
tree, from which the branches have been cut. 
Two large hoops are fastened side by side, at 
a distance of twelve or fifteen feet from the 
ground, and a third hoop is fastened above 
them. Two or three dozen balls are covered 
with colored yarn or cloth, and one dozen 
with white. 

The Queen of the May directs the game. 
One boy paces off twelve feet in front of the 
pole, and another does the same at the back. 
Six children stand on each of these lines, all 
facing the pole ; each holds one of the col- 
ored balls in the right hand. 

The red and the blue balls must be thrown 
through the upper hoop ; the white balls must 
be thrown through the lower hoops. White 
balls count one; colored balls count two. 

Each plays in turn, the queen calling out 
the name of the one who is to throw next, 
taking one from each side as they stand. If 



V. R K. GOSLINGS. 227 

a player can catch a ball thrown by the other 
side after it has passed through the hoop he 
can throw it back again, and it counts on his 
score. As soon as a ball misses the hoop that 
player can play no more. Skilful throwers 
sometimes throw through the hoop twenty 
times without missing. 

The account is very easily kept by the 
queen, who crowns with a wreath as victor 
the child who throws the ball through the 
hoop the greatest number of times. 

All those who miss the hoops are called 
"Y. P. K. Goslings;" and the boy-goslings 
are obliged to pick a peg out of the ground 
with their teeth. This peg is driven by the 
girl-goslings, who must each hit it once with 
a stick as they stand around it blindfolded. 

The children who have tried this forfeit 
with the peg under some other name may 
be surprised to learn that, under the name of 
" Y. P. K. Goslings," it is of very great age, 
having been known as a forfeit in England 
hundreds of years ago, and is described in a 
magazine published in 1791. 



BEAUTY IN DRESS. 

By Miss OAKEY. 
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